High-End PC Gaming Already Next-Gen? Don't Make Me Laugh.

Paul Izod discussed the misconceptions around PC gaming and next gen for Zero1gaming.com

[Corpser]

More like Mid range pc is already next gen. 1080p+, 60fps, dx11 effects

Will Watch Dogs PC look better than Far Cry 3 PC? How so? Don't use console gens to define PC gaming

Using this guys logic, all cross gen games can't be next gen , look at the footage of Watch Dogs and tell me it's not next gen

[MrDead]

So all next gen means to you is 1080p+, 60fps? Well you have fun with that.

[jimbobwahey]

If next gen is just 1080p 60fps then we've been at next gen for about 5 years already given console games such as Gran Turismo 5 and Wipeout HD already running at those specs.

[FATAL1TY]

PS4 = Real Next Gen

[MysticStrummer]

Article in the latest issue of Game Informer :

Dispelling the Myth - Today's High-End PC is Not True Next-Gen Gaming

PC elitists are welcome to their own criteria concerning what it means to be next-gen, but they need to understand that not everyone shares their opinions.

It would certainly help if they made up their minds about whether PCs have generations or not.

[adorie]

Surly. Next-gen on PC = 4k@60fps. LMAO. I wish I could be gaming like that. I wish hard. :T

[xXxSeTTriPxXx]

Roflmao

[nypifisel]

Computers doesn't follow generations -_-, they're always ahead - and why wouldn't they be? The hardware in consoles are used for nearly a decade. Reason to why we don't nearly ever see the power behind PCs are that games are build for consoles and then get some added flash for the PC versions. A game built for a PC ground up would be capable to blow any console game out of the water - How many could actually play this game is in a sense irrelevant.

Console games on a PC can get better textures etc, but the basic physics and polygon count is still the same, this in mind compare Skyrim with HD textures to the Xbox version of the same game. When I first saw it my eyes bled a little, it looks horrible on the 360 (and PS3 I assume, haven't seen that version).

[Autodidactdystopia]

No man don't make me laugh.

Pc is what your next gen Is based on.

The only problem with pc is its sheer power. Console developers who have now become the main, for reasons involving money, do not put in the advanced effects until consoles can at least handle a lesser version of them.

The problem now is that even low end pc setups aren't being taxed but when the games from more console oriented developers start multiplating in pc you will once again see a difference in quality.

Its just how things are. the pc is an ever changing beast I would be worried if they weren't next gen ready after 6 years.

[Autodidactdystopia]

The tech in this game to be looks pretty next gen to me but its only meant to show off the physics engine so I guess it doesn't count but I got a good 3 hours out of this boring ass demo just playin with the realtime mud/water/everything physics.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

its nice but it need work. The tech is there though. fully tessellated ground etc for physics interactions is really something nice. :)

[ZombieNinjaPanda]

@Jimbobwahey

Considering that majority of the games on console are 720p 30fps, you're clearly talking out of your ass.

[Lisica]

It does.

Games are going to be dumber and dumber.

It's all about the graphics. And PC got there long time before PS4.

[shutUpAndTakeMyMoney]

capable of next gen but consoles hold it back. Kilzone is 30fps.

[awi5951]

Lol console tech demos are 100 percent fake and always have been. My Pc with 4gigs graphics memory will still look better than any console game. Ive been told this crap from console fanboys for years. But all last gen i was told the same thing i had both systems xbox and ps3. And guess what they all looked like shit compared to my cheap 4870 i bought years ago. a 139 dollar graphics card looked 5 times better than any console game that came out dont make me laugh. The guy who wrote this article is a total joke.

[papashango]

4870 was a pretty solid card. Overshadowed by the 8800 series but still a solid card.

No doubt it put the 360 and ps3 to shame when it was flagship

[theaceh]

I wonder what GT5, KZ3, AC4, Halo 4 and other games would look like running on a $600.00 dollar PC from november, 2006?

[Anarki]

Next gen isn't defined by graphics. It's game play, how you play the game. Look at the Wii for instance, the Wii sold the most consoles current gen because of it's innovative way of playing, even though it had atrocious visuals.

I'm eager to see what the PS4 and next Xbox will show.

[ProjectVulcan]

Pfff. Fail article. PC pioneers most significant 'next gen' console technologies and advancements. I also don't believe of his definition of what next gen is, I'll explain and break this article apart by the end.

"You name me one mainstream game that is only playable on next-gen equivalent technology!"

Name one that was done on Xbox 360 but couldn't be scaled back to work on the previous generation? Virtually everything actually could be, unless you qualify Kinect titles and say that is really how they are next gen!

Games haven't actually changed all that much in how we play them. GTA5 will probably be very similar to GTA San Andreas in terms of gameplay, apart from it having better visuals, effect, sound, physics etc basic TECHNICAL stuff that makes GTA5 'next gen' in the eyes of a PS2 gamer for example.

Most of the advanced features done on current hardware are online related, that is really the legacy of Xbox 360 and PS3- this was the generation online console gaming took off and tens of millions signed up.

Dreamcast, Xbox laid the foundations, current gen built the online house.

But even that was something that was pioneered mainstream, on PC first!

It is also funny using a picture of Half Life 2 and quoting how its mechanical physics were really next gen.

Its ironic.

That's a PC game, came out long before the current gen of consoles.

A year later, the first console it came out on was....original Xbox! That's right, a non next gen machine. It was a ugly looking game on the original xbox, but the supposed physics that were next gen made their way onto an old machine before reaching PS3/360. It was possible.

This is why this argument fails, because the writer's own example highlights how non next gen Half Life 2 actually was when it was on done on the original xbox and done quite well.

[GraveLord]

It's not next-gen. Try this: if its coming to Wii U, its not next-gen.

Seriously though, just because you have a higher resolution and frame-rate, it doesn't make your PC "next-gen". Most PC games still stuck using DX9 due to them being console ports. Your PC isn't next-gen, your PC isn't part of any gen.

[Lior]

Obviosly someone has not been playing on a pc, you have not seen crysis 3 running on my moniter at 1440p with everything maxed out with anti alaising on MSAA 8*

[InTheLab]

@Lior

It's still the same mediocre game everyone one PS3/X360 play. The point of the article is that max setting and high frames per second does not make a game next gen.

[narked]

It kind of does cause the 'Next Gen' is mostly defined by graphics. Yep PC isn't part of any gen cause it's ever evolving.

I'm very excited about the upcoming consoles but I really don't think that any console can match the pc in terms of raw performance. If you take price out of the equation you will always have a better looking game on the PC. Consoles will be 'better' for the first 3 years of a lifecycle due to optimisation, when PC's catch up it will be the same story over again. Just compare Metro Last Light on PC and Xbox, it's miles ahead on PC.

[ZombieNinjaPanda]

@InTheLab

So what makes something next-gen now? Suddenly, it's not graphics? But I thought when discussing the WiiU it's graphics? Then what is it???

[starchild]

I am a big PC gamer, but I agree that gaming on the PC in general is not the same as next gen.

With that said, the quality of current gen games on PC puts them well ahead of what they are on consoles.

It's not really comparable to judging the leap that we see between console generations. The quality of frame rate, image cleanliness, texture detail, display resolution, etc, on PC won't be equaled even by next gen consoles.

That said, I believe that games like The Witcher 2 and Crysis 3 maxed out on a decent rig are pretty comparable, in terms of their overall graphical makeup, to games we will see on next generation consoles.

[aquamala]

agreed PC has no gens. I'm going to use the same PC to play Watch Dogs and Far Cry 3, so one of them is this gen and one is next gen??

[Kennytaur]

Well, I can play Watch_Dogs and Far Cry 3 on the same PS3...

I get your point, and agree, but a bit of a fail there seeing how W_D is cross-gen.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

What are you talking about? Next gen consoles are high end pcs. Developers have already stated this. PC gamers need to stop being bitter.

[SPAM-FRITTER-123]

LOL that was funny.

Next Gen is just going to be 1080p at 60fps for consoles.

i mean look at the games announced....WooooooooW new killzone, thats so freaking next gen maaaan.

Move on noob and stick to your make believe toy console world.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

LOL why are you so bitter about next gen consoles?

Killzone isn't going to be the last game released. Games early on in a console's cycle doesn't demonstrate the true potential of the console. Games will only get better on next gen consoles from here on out. Shadow Fall is just the tip of the iceberg and isn't representative of next gen's full potential.

Go back to playing world of warcraft and working two jobs just so that you can barely manage to afford to upgrade your already out-of-date PC to match next gen console specs lol.

[Halochampian]

@Outside "working two jobs just so that you can barely manage to afford to upgrade your already out-of-date PC to match next gen console specs lol."

You either don't know what a well paying job is or dont understand how computer hardware works. My bet it's both.

[TooL 316]

Nex-Gen consoles are not High-end PC's; they are more akin to a mid-level PC. PS4 specs are based on old PC tech. PC's will always be ahead, the only problem is that PC"s are being stymied by consoles when it comes to MAINSTREAM TITLES. While the rest of us PC gamers had LCD Televisions, console games were still watching tube based TV’s. I can guarantee you that my Current PC will be able to play any Cross platform Games released for PS4, the Next-box and PC at the same or better resolution, Frame rate and whatever bells and whistle that are attached… Can you say the same? No you cannot, you will have to buy a new machine.

[konnerbllb]

Author has no idea what he's talking about. Delusional.

[linkenski]

Don't use Watch Dogs as your prime example. http://hl2.com.ua/wp-conten...
http://www.thebuzzmedia.com...

You also have to bear in mind that Watch Dogs is likely going to be a launch-title. I think graphics have improved drastically in current-gen console games from the first year of the gen until now.

PC gaming will surpass next-gen consoles relatively fast, but i seriously doubt they will be on par right from the get go.

[windblowsagain]

I'm A PC GAMER, But also have a console.

Where is PC going to surpass the new machines. Yes gaming will be higher rez, more AA.

But what gets made for PC that really pushes it.

You can run the best looking games on PC, without breaking the bank on power.

Depends what people consider the best graphics.

CRYSIS3 - all realtime?
Metro last light?
BF3

We've already seen what BF4 is doing and that will be the same on nextgen consoles as it is on PC.

The differences between titles will be very small and will be so for some time.

Next gen looks of games maybe.

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[Halochampian]

@windblowsagain "Where is PC going to surpass the new machines."

Have you looked at Oculus Rift? If not, I hightly suggest that you do.

The best part about playing on the PC is the modding community to make games look/play better and provide a new experience.

[cyguration]

Battlefield 4 was running on the Malta, a $1,000 video card at 2K resolutions at 60fps with global destruction.

You're telling me that on the PS4/Infinity/720 you'll be able to rock 2K resolutions at 60fps with real-time transitional lighting and global, physics-based destruction?

Really?

[Salooh]

Next generation means another level of gaming. Games look and play a lot better.

To be more clear, 1080p+, 60fps can be implemented on ps1 and ps2 games but doesn't mean they are next generation games ...

PC right now is like ps4.5 and will reach ps5 after few years. But doesn't mean developers are using that power on games. I only see one game that looks next generation right now which is crysis in graphics side only..

[ijust2good]

Crysis 3 and just about every other games on PC were all possible on 8 year old machine proves that PC games getting current gen games with sexed up graphics. Nothing huge just sexed up. Take for example HD remake of last gen games.

PC with all its superior power, never gets used to its fullest. True Optimisation is something that almost doesn't exist on the PC. I'm sorry PC geeks but even games like Crysis 3 are made for current gen consoles in mind. At its core Crysis on current gen consoles and high end PC are the same, same in world map design, scale and enemy count. Just more crisper graphics, resolution and frames. Not good enough if u spent £800-2000+ on high end PC to get very little improvement in an overall console port.

Face it PC gamer's, Consoles will always keep PC behind. Consoles is where the money is at. Next year, the year after that, PC will still get console ports. Another words, True next gen starts when next gen console hits the market even if PC can do much better. Even more reason why people should stick with next gen consoles rather than upgrade to expensive PC. Play every multiplat games on PC and get the best exclusives that consoles provide. Why spend 1000+ on a high end graphics card when u know u will get screwed.

[papashango]

It's actually pc gaming that innovates. leaving consoles in the dust.

The Indie scene is thriving on pc. You won't find games like DayZ or even Arma on next-gen consoles. You aren't getting the Occulus Rift.

I mean what's there to look forward to on next-gen consoles. More of the same Linear hallway shooters with triggered cutscenes everywhere and an influx of 3rd person puzzle adventure games a la Uncharted and TLOU style.

[BOLO]

@jimbobwahey

GT5 is rendered at 1280x1080 which is not equal to 1920x1080. WipeOut HD has a variable frame rate that drops below full HD 1080p t maintain 60fps refresh rate. *****The more you know.

http://www.gamersglobal.com...

[UnHoly_One]

A lot of people are missing the whole point of the term "Next Gen".

"Next Gen" does not mean "better graphics". In fact, the two things have almost nothing to do with each other. Improved graphics may come along with Next Generation games, but they don't define it.

The "Gen" in "Next Gen" refers to the upcoming console "generation", yes? Notice I said "Console" generation. That is because PC's don't have generations. They are constantly improving incrementally, and don't follow a pattern like consoles, where they are exactly the same for 5 or more years, then make a drastic jump.

So the PC elitists that keep saying their PC has been "Next Gen" for years, and 100% ignorant of what they are actually saying. I'm not denying the fact that PC games look better than 360 or PS3 games, there is no doubt about that. I'm not even trying to say that PC games won't be able to beat PS4 or 720 games. My point is that, by definition, no PC game can ever be called "Next Gen".

I think that may be the thing that gets the PC guys all bent of shape. Since the consoles dominate the market, the PC players have to "play by their rules" so to speak. They don't get games that are 100% designed for their system of choice, because it isn't economically viable to develop games that way and leave the consoles out of the loop.

Sorry for the long rant, but this is just sort of a Pet Peeve to me. People latch onto a phrase that means one very specific thing, and they start using it to mean a whole range of things that just aren't accurate.

[JsonHenry]

I am just excited about this new gen of consoles because it will mean PC will be lead platform for almost all titles and OPTIMIZED for the x86 architecture. It is good news all around for consoles AND PC gamers. Everyone should be happy.

[Irishguy95]

Laughing at this article...

No really, I get the author..but PC tech is already there.

[coolmast3r]

I'm taking my hat off to you, sir. Well said!

[MilkMan]

What the hell is author talking about?! PC's have ALWAYS been at the bleeding edge. He clearly needs another line of work. Even my Alienware MX18 as outdated as it is, can play all games at 1900 x 1600 with blazing detail.

[grailly]

do people here even read more than the title? what the author is trying to say is that PCs are next-fen ready, but just don't have next-gen games yet because they are still designed with current-gen consoles in mind.

[MysticStrummer]

Not only current-gen consoles, but also low end PCs. Somehow the low end PC factor gets left out when PC elitists blame consoles for holding back PC gaming. There are far more low end PCs out in the wild than PC gamers like to admit.

[CheexInk]

He's wrong though. Just because he isn't familiar with PC exclusives that take advantage of the hardware doesn't mean they don't exist. When was the last time you played a console shooter on the scale of Planetside 2? Where you can have hundreds of people in the same area, on screen, flying around in fighters, driving tanks, slogging it on foot etc? Where are your strategy games with battles consisting of thousands of on-screen units a la Total War? You don't have them.

This is just another example of ignorance of what PC gaming is already capable of and the exclusives that take advantage of it.

[Salooh]

This is what i wanted to say :)

No one can deny the pc power but the games it provide are not next generation yet. Consoles controle the time to move on not the pc which is bad thing but it is the truth..

[grailly]

@CheekInk

I'll give you PlanetSide 2, but really how many PC exclusives are there that take fully advantage of the hardware?

I can only think of star citizen and that's not out yet. Maybe the total war series fits the description but generally speaking PCs are used to play what can run on console. Also, PlanetSide 2 runs on my laptop, I guess a current-gen console could still run it poorly if SOE decided to port it.

[cyguration]

DayZ
Hard Reset
Mount & Blade (what it lacks in graphics it makes up for with hundreds/thousands of troops on-screen)
Starforge
Planet Explorers
Spintires
Rigs of Rods
GTA IV iCEnhancer + Realism Mods (Too bad console games have zero clue how awesome this is)
APB Reloaded (name me a console game with 100+ players in an open-world environment with character/vehicle customization and GTA style gameplay?)

EDIT: Oh yeah, I forgot...console gaming probably still won't get anything remotely close to Garry's Mod. My version is decked out with all the latest graphics mods, gore mods and realistic weapons and vehicles. It's sad but how it's setup offers me gameplay and experiences not found in any other game on console. I really wish consoles would get stuff like this but sadly they won't.

[UnHoly_One]

You are missing the whole point.

[jmc8888]

Exactly the guy is confusing what software makers are focusing on and somehow saying that since developers have been hanging onto last generation consoles, he makes a curious attempt to denigrate PC's.

Since the focus isn't on PC's....but consoles.
That the while the graphics are better....they can still be played on lesser systems.
So on and so forth.

This author is very weird. It's like he's some sort of gaming fascist hardline authoritarian. None of PC's advantages matter, and its all about perception and strangling the competition.

This guy must see 'exclusives' as a mark of pride for a console. Probably likes timed DLC and all sorts of other crap too.

He somehow thinks there needs to be some huge leap. He obviously hasn't been viewing the problems with R&D the last decade. You won't get a leap like he suggests is needed (and somehow even though PC's are the only thing constantly progressing and will be 8-9x more powerful than a PS4 he bags on PC's and assumes it wrongly won't affect consoles) when tech has slowed pretty significantly over the past decade.

Ten years ago (hell longer really) you could buy a 3.6 Ghz processor. They thought the Pentium IV would take them to 10 GHZ. Here we are now in 2013 and well computers are still at or just over 3.6 Ghz. They can be overclocked a bit, but it just shows you the improvements are much harder to achieve when you have to find improvements elsewhere. While multiple cores was a great way to improve some aspects of a PC, it isn't raw power.

GPU's have found more ways around these problems, but it has constrained them as well.

Overall though this article is funny because he doesn't understand that now developers will start using the PC's power, and have much more at their disposal. You don't blame PC gaming for corporate decisions to move slowly and relying on the console teet too much. Because some aren't.

Unreal 4 engine is coming out, and the PS4 version is nice but not nearly the same as the PC version.

[zebramocha]

Neither is the pc version as they removed svogi because it was to demanding.

[GreenRanger]

I've been thinking about getting into PC gaming for a while but i don't know a lot about computers.
Is PC gaming one of those things that you thought was really hard to get into and turned out to be easy, or do you really need to know a lot about computers to even consider PC gaming?

[iamgoatman]

It's pretty simple really. Building a PC is just like a big jigsaw puzzle, follow the instructions and it's a piece of cake. There are hundreds of detailed videos on the net that will walk you through it.

Or if you don't feel confident building a PC yourself, if you have any friends or know anyone who has built their own PC in the past, ask them to give you a hand. I bet seasoned builders will jump at the chance as putting together a new PC from scratch is fun.

[mixelon]

It's very easy to get into, just choose respectable and not underpowered hardware. I stick to Steam for game purchases, then there's very little to it.

A lot of the scary updating and system maintenance nightmare stories are FUD and not at all representative. :)

[andrewer]

When you learn to use the PC, I'll teach you some Jack Sparrow art if you know what I mean :D

[Getowned]

Building a PC is the best thing to do for gaming a PC, but you can find decent PC's that will do just fine at at a store or online, but you really need to do your homework on it. You don't need to go out and drop $5000 on a PC, that's just insane. A good site to buy PC parts from is Newegg.com also Amazon isn't bad and sometimes cheaper.

what I would go for is mid range processor, at least 8gbs of ram, and a mid-high range graphics card, along with a good case with lots of vents and fans to help keep it all cool.

Steam is all you will ever really need to buy your games from, there are amazing deals and it really opens up a whole new world of gaming especially with indie games which can be just as good and some times better than some mainstream games. there are also some great Free to Play games and mmos, and tons of mods to completely customize your game from its looks to gameplay, just look at all the skyrim mods, a mod that actually impressed me recently was a mod for civ5 "A Mod of Ice and Fire" which changes the whole game to playing as if it was "Civ 5: A game of Thrones".. Yeah gaming on the PC can be really awesome and amazing, and playing shooter online on the PC is a whole new beast, some of the things I see people pull off on PC I would never see on Consoles.

just look at some of these cool mods.

Civilization V - A Mod of Ice and Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

L4D2- tired of zombies ? how about some aliens ? :)
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Skyrim- ever wonder what mario would play like if it was more like skyrim ?
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

COD4-Star Wars Mod..this speaks for its self.
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

[aliengmr]

At the beginning of this gen it was somewhat difficult, but since then its gotten easier. Its become much easier to build a PC and there are fewer complex problems to deal with.

Once you build a PC everything else becomes easier. Problems are fewer and become much easier to solve.

Personally, most problems for me were solved by just using Steam. The only requirement is decent internet. Games stay up to date automatically. I use CCleaner daily and my rig runs great. Only drivers I have to update are for video card, which you don't really need to do all the time unless you use Sli.

For the most part its pretty easy, but it still require knowledge of the basics. And never take a gaming rig to a PC repair shop. Buy on Newegg, Amazon, or (if you're lucky) a retailer that sells specialty parts like Frys and Micro Center. The reason is they will over charge you, by quite a lot.

It also help if you want to actually play PC games, instead of just console games on the platform. PC is the platform for titles that for various reasons can't be released for consoles. They tend to more diverse experiences and may not be as shiny as AAAs.

So yea, its not difficult, but it takes a small commitment. It will be your gaming PC and it will come with its own personality.

EDIT: Disregard the silly tech-tard disagrees. Building a PC is not rocket science. Unless you can't handle anything more complex than pushing a button.

[evilhasitsway]

I have recently got into pc gaming and I for one will say anywere from mid to high end pc is next gen but consules are just more convent.

[-Gespenst-]

His point seems to be that games are largely designed with consoles in mind (since that's where the money is), and so the PC versions are only marginally better or the same. However this doesn't mean that current PCs aren't already capable of what we're going to see on the Ps4 and the Xbox- PCs are clearly held back by the console industry.

I mean, how could PCs NOT be more powerful machines than consoles? The technology in a PC is customisable, and more powerful components are being developed and released all the time. Consoles are fixed platforms with no such facility. The Ps3 and Xbox360, at this point, utilise old technology, that's a fact. What I will say is that PCs see comparatively less time spent on really unlocking the potential of their components, because new ones are released with such frequency, and optimisation across multiple specs can make the games a bit temperamental. Hence we've seen Uncharted on the Ps3, a game clearly borne of constant development using the Cell- ND learned so many tricks on it because they worked with it for like a decade or longer.

Not that any of this matters. The PC customising scene is just as closeted, just as juvenile, and just as fetishized as the car modification scene. A total product of the kind of consumer / capitalist society we live in. Obsessed with visuals and surface appearance as well as stupid little infinitesimal performance statistics. Rpgs on the SNES are still some of my favourite, and that was a 16-bit console. I'm not even from that generation, I got into games mid-ps1 era when I was like 9 or something.

[Haules]

There is no 'next gen' for PC.

[Trago1337]

PC will always be ahead.

Consoles, yes even the PS4 and Infinity, WONT have 1080P 60fps across the board, PS always will, and MORE.

[Rubberlegs]

Sure any games on the PC can run on current console no problem but what are people expecting next-gen console to be like? Games like The Witcher 2 was first build in mind for the PC and later ported to the 360 with it basically running on the lowest settings.

It just seems like people expecting some huge leap when really you won't be seeing that unless you never game on the PC to begin with. Your going get high res textrues, native 1080p, hopefully better framerates, games that don't need to be dumb down like the console version of BF3 (smaller teams and scaled down smaller maps), all these features that devs have been adding to the PC versions. I think the bigger leap that people should expecting will come from physics, AI and animations.

[Salooh]

Not huge leap compared to the pc but it is for consoles.

Look at battlefield 3 on pc then look at battlefield 4 , it's still an upgrade in many ways even though both are pc games.
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

It's another level of gaming not just a sequel and remember that this is just an early next generation games. Imagine what the other great developers will do like rockstar and naughty dog . Developers can do what ever they want for the next 3 years. Console gamers will be satisfied and pc will have even more awesome games and even if consoles maxed out pc still can bring better experience with the same games until the next consoles. I only see positive at this point. Maybe after few years we will have a different feelings but right now next generation worth the hype..

The last of us / GT6 / Beyond:two souls are still making us excited so i'm expecting games like them on next generation not just better graphics. They have the power for another huge leap. Think about GT7 on ps4. Do you think it will be a simple sequel with better resolution and frame rate ?. No i don't because it can bring better and that's why i was disappointed on GT6. They could have worked on it for another 2 years and made it a next generation experience. It's still not that realistic so there is a potential..

[andrewer]

When they think they are winning in graphics, next-gen is graphicx, when they notice they aren't, they start talking about the experience. DECIDE YOURSELF GOD DAMN IT. PC will always be ahead in the matter of graphix...go fight other consoles, but don't attempt the PC because you will fail.

[Cid33]

you're all saying that all gaming pc´s have 1080P 60fps, so running a game at 1080p@60fps is next gen

f-me my 100$ notebook can run quake 3 @ 1080P with 200+fps so i must be beyond nextgen, and my gaming pc 100 years into the future

id say opengl and directX has been determining pc gen

[Elite_737]

While the writer is completely douchey in the way he argues his point, there is a valid point buried deep within, and I'll try and translate it.

I own all the consoles and play all of them, but I still consider myself a PC gamer and will always play on PC as a first option. However, graphics and engines run on the console cycle (most of the time). Most developers and publishers aren't going to invest money in developing insanely advanced engines just so a small portion of the market can play it. They are going to develop the engine for the lowest common denominator (usually the 360 or PS3), and the PC version will run on the same engine, but just have higher resolution textures, higher res shadows, better shaders, and other things that don't require a complete rewrite of the renderer. However, there is an upside to this; You can run these console-ports pretty easily, usally at 1080p 60fps with mid-range components.

There are a few outliers that exist though. Crysis, which came out in 2007, is easily still one of the best looking games to date. On max settings, it could still be considered PS4/720 graphics. Same thing with Metro 2033, The Witcher 2, and some other games.

This is why as A PC gamer I'm still exited for the PS4/720 release dates. Finally, developers are going to be developing their engines with more advanced effects that couldn't be done on hardware made in 2005/2006, which means graphics on PC games are going to see a sudden boost as these "Next Gen" games come out.

[HonestDragon]

"What’s that? Crysis 3? Ah, I think I may see the problem here. I fear people may be confusing graphical improvements with next-gen gaming."

That right there is the problem with PC elitists. What they fail to understand is that graphics and hardware don't equal superiority. Like the author states, graphics can have high quality, but at the end of the day nothing new is being done for the game in its entirety. His analogy of a car having new rims and a paint job is spot on.

No matter how much lavish upgrades you add to a computer (and yes even a car), it's all eye candy. It does nothing new that no other computer or console can do. Just like a decked out car with hydraulics and spinning rims, it does what any and every car is supposed to do: get you from point A to point B. There is no difference between a computer that is high end or one that is capable of playing a handful of games (like mine).

PC elitists don't get that. Graphics are not the end all, be all for video games. The core difference with a PC and console are the features. There are things a PC can do that a console can't and vice versa. For PC gamers to scoff off the Wii U or PS4 or next Xbox and claim they are already playing on next-gen, shows the elitism and that's an ugly trait.

My PC isn't high end, so does that mean it's inferior? So far as I'm concerned, as long as I can play StarCraft II, Skyrim, Rage, and my collection of Valve and Steam games, I'm good. I also still play on my Sega, Playstation One, and PS2. They have fantastic games and those graphics aren't realistic or intense. Games are great because they play well, are fun, and have great worlds to venture in to. Hardware and graphics won't improve games like Aliens: Colonial Marines or The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct.

[andrewer]

lol isn't that talking about graphics superiority Playstation fanboys talk? What you talking about man?

[HonestDragon]

Playstation fanboys can't even bring up graphics superiority unless they are bragging about the PS4. In which case, no one can really claim since it's not even out yet. And what I'm talking about is that graphics don't make good games. There's more that goes into what makes a good video game. That's what many gamers tend to forget. Hence, they and many PC elitists reinforce that graphics make or break a game.

It's pointless to say that graphics equal next-gen or that it somehow makes one guy's gaming experience better than another. Crysis 3 may look amazing with insane PC upgrades, but it's always the same game no matter what. We all face the same enemies, encounter the same NPCs, and get the same ending.

[Hicken]

If a "Playstation fanboy" is talking graphics, it's at least in relation to other consoles that are also static, closed systems. There's a HUGE difference between comparing the performance of two machines of rather similar specs, and comparing one of those to one whose specs can be upgraded continually.

Here's how you REALLY compare PC to consoles, if you're gonna do it: you build a PC for the same price as a console, and then compare performance. There's that, or you can build a PC with the same specs, and see how well it performs.

Any idiot knows the console will win in the latter category; in the former, the PC will cost considerably more, which is a win for consoles.

Anyway, there IS a difference.

All that aside, I hope next-gen is about more than graphical prowess. Yes, it is important, but since PC doesn't have gens it's pretty hard to say what is or isn't next-gen, unless you compare it to consoles.

[andrewer]

No, throughout the internet I just listen to Playstation fanboys crying about graphics. "PC elitist", wtf man. You need to browse more the internet - it's the other way around.

@Hicken
I freaking know how to compare a PC to a console - not comparing at all. And no, "Playstation Fanboys" compare to PC and think they win in the matter of graphics...

[mochachino]

PC gaming is as next-gen as a PS2 HD remake would be next-gen if released last gen.

I think PC gaming is just HD 60FPS better textured/lighting current gen, which looks awesome but isn't a generational graphical leap.

Next-gen requires next-gen engines and it's not worth it financially for devs to release them until next-gen consoles arrive.

PC gamers should rejoice when PS4/720 release, finally all there magnificent hardware can be put to good use.

[Qrphe]

The author is correct. High-end PCs have been next-gen-ready for a while but haven't had any next-gen games yet.

[insertnamehurr]

Computers dont have friends lists, Second screens, amazing exclusive games, cross chat, trophies, etc.

[Elite_737]

Omg, are you being serious? Why don't you at least try installing steam on your PC just so you can experience the social aspect of gaming on a PC?

Steam has friends lists, cross game chat, achievements, etc. And even if you don't like steam's cross game chat (which I don't), you can use skype, teamspeak, mumble, and a bunch of other programs. Pc has exclusive games, the reason you don't hear about them is because you are so sheltered away from it. Arma is great example of a PC game, which bred mods like DayZ.

ANYONE can develop for PC without a licensing fee, meaning you get a bunch of third parties developing applications. It's also why there's a shit-ton of indie games on PC.

Don't get me wrong, I like consoles and everything, but you're just COMPLETELY ignorant to PC gaming.

[KontryBoy706]

one of the dumbest articles posted lol. They should be ashamed. tech demos DO NOT equal game play. Just because you can render a face with textures don't mean it will be like that on a console with 60+fps IN MOTION. Don't make me continue laughing.

[jjb1981]

Next gen is improvement in function rather than form

[LogicStomper]

Not necessarily.
You can have next-generation graphics. For example, the jump in detail from PS3 graphics limitations to PS4's potential as shown in the announcement.

So you are in a way correct, I just see next-gen as a 'large hop' in technology.

[Prcko]

If this screens are not next gen visuals then i don't know:
http://abload.de/img/metrol...
http://i3.minus.com/iHtFQNh...
http://sfx.thelazy.net/stat...
Metro Last Light btw

[FaultyPixel]

I fear you may have missed the point of the article... part of the point is that graphics don't equal next gen...

[Prcko]

didn't read it y :P

[FaultyPixel]

well theres your problem right there lol

[Saryk]

Another stupid damn article ,consoles versus PC. Let me say this again. I am not buying your games, you are not buying mine. If there is a game on a console that I want to play, I’ll buy the console. If I buy that console, I highly doubt we will ever play together. I have yet to see what the big deal is about everyone MUST have their gaming machine be on top. Anyway if you guys want to know a damn good game, it is called Wargame Airland Battle!

[josephayal]

PS4 is like a high-end alien gaming PC

[Shacojin]

LOL

[werty34]

I don't think the ps4 will even game at 60fps at 1080p properly based on its specs. I really hope that when we do get to see the next FIFA tomorrow the PC gets that version because I would hate to see that we get the scale down version of the current gen console. Let see FIFA, UFC, NBA LIVE, CALL OF DUTY

[DarkHeroZX]

idk my old Asus laptop has lesser specs then the ps4 and it runs most games at 1080p at 60fps on high. It's not a stretch for the PS4 to be able to do the same.

[jameson12345]

I'm getting tired of all this immature arguing over this next-gen bull crap. From everyone, not just the gamers. From what I've seen there are a lot of arrogant and immature people in the gaming industry and gaming community.

None of them are ever happy unless they are pulling another group down. Society as a whole is not exactly fond of the gamer and we already have the mainstream media accusing us being violent child killers, so we don't need to make it easier for them to destroy us by dividing ourselves.

The developers should just focus on making good games and we should just focus on playing on what ever systems we all prefer. All these arguments are just petty and stupid because are you really changing anyone else's mind? In the long run all this hate and trolling just seems to show off the industry's weakness even more.

Developers just need to develop, publishers just need to publish, and gamers just need to game. Anything else is just an ploy to distract from your own flaws and insecurities about your system. We all know no system is perfect, quit rubbing it in.

[SITH]

Since when was next gen defined by software and not hardware? This article is stupid. Nobody says the fifth gen F-22 raptor and F-35 Lighting II is fifth gen because of just software in its avionics. It is fifth gen because of the hardware that makes it stealth, fast, agile, and lethal. Capabilities no conflict has allowed to be demonstrated. Just like capabilities a High end PC has not game software to demonstrate its abilities. The ability is present, the games are not.

[FaultyPixel]

thats pretty much what the article says... if you read it?

[SITH]

I did read high-speed. You need to comprehend what you thought you read apparently. Even the title gives away a perception towards graphics not hardware defining next gen. The author labels games mechanically current gen on PCs just because consoles are capable of the similar graphics and gameplay which is definitely not true. Go read a book. You are slipping in the comprehension department. The very fact new consoles are considered next gen. is the hardware not what the games may do which never live up to the tech demos they sucker people in with. Yet right in the middle of the article the author depicts next gen as the graphics not the technology that make them possible. As long as manufactors keep spitting out the hardware, PCs will always be next gen over consoles. Always. You might want to re-read the article, slowly.

[kingduqc]

next gen is pc exclusive and it's called oculus rift.

[Khan613]

Make the comparison the way Sony and MS sell their consoles: by console vs PC hardware comparisons.

Software is seriously subjective. So are crappy screen shots.

Sony and MS have defined their current and new consoles as hardware marvels - compared to current gen consoles...sure!

Compared them to PC hardware? Not a chance!

At the time of design, consoles are usually upper tier MAINSTREAM PC HARDWARE. Repeat: AT THE TIME OF DESIGN.

This is definitely the case with the 360. At launch it was behind PC's.

PS3 tried some different things with the cell *cough* processor. I expect Sony and AMD's Jagua APU will go just as badly.

In both cases the Playstation cpu's have not been released and field tested. So dev's are likely going to cry about how hard coding is for them.

PC enthusiasts already have an idea of how APU's are not meant for high end. PS4's 1.8TFLOP capable graphics (theoretical peak) is already beaten by a GTX 680 or AMD 7970.

Bottom line is consoles are underpowered at LAUNCH. As we move into the that 5 to 8 year lifespan of the console (LOL) it only gets worse for consoles.

But this is all from a HARDWARE perspective. :)

[BitbyDeath]

PC can be classed as whatever gen it wants to be.
The games cannot though, they are lastgen.

[Khan613]

Good point. Hence my hardware only perspective.

You can break down CPU, GPU or DirectX levels into iterations or generations.

But what's the point on PC when you're not restricted?

[fullmetal297]

As a PC gamer, I do agree with him on the statement that next-generation isn't just about graphics and other factors come into play. I believe that immersion will be the defining factor to next gen and graphics play a vital role, but other things like sound are just as important.

For example: instead for the traditional motion controls fade, Valve has decided to focus on biometrics. Imagine playing a horror game and the music becomes more moody and the controller vibrates harder as the console detects your heart beat. It is these kinds of ideas that will define next gen, not better graphics.

[McScroggz]

This again? Look, PC's aren't next gen because they are constantly improving incrementally. Plus there is a soft cap on what PC games push because of consoles. Just because you have a super-powerful beast of a computer, that doesn't mean your version of Crysis 3 is automatically next gen while a mid/low-grade PC or console version isn't.

To me graphics are only part of the next gen equation, and a small part. Because consoles went 6-7 years there will be significant improvement in visuals; but if you are a PC gamer this really doesn't happen. By default PC's don't really qualify for that. Granted that's not what really defines next gen.

My understanding is that the various mechanical improvements are what will make the difference. A huge increase in AI, a huge increase in particle affects, real-time lighting. These sorts of things. Like the GI article said, before Half-Life 2 physics in games was generally pretty wonky, now it's commonplace.

Regardless of any of this, I don't know why some feel the need to compare their high end PC's to 7 year old consoles. Of course it's going to be better. But how much money did you spend on the setup, how much time and management does it take to keep things operating smoothly? PC is certainly better in some respects, but to a lot of people the hassle outweighs the performance.

[PurpHerbison]

Gumps.

[TBONEJF]

More like NO GOOD GAMES on PC except WOW

[PersonMan]

Without next gen software, PCs are current gen.

Developers decide when next gen starts, not the hardware.

People are pretty stupid.

[urwifeminder]

My pc can beat all consoles sewn together lol even though I will get the wii u and next xbox pc will be my main system with arma 3.

[Skate-AK]

I would be more happy with 1080p/60fps in 3D. Maybe even 720p/60fps in 3D. This gens games have had to be downgraded even more to run in 3D.

[Obtoose]

All the consolers on here are saying that graphics and fps don't determine what defines next gen, yet they describe next gen as better graphics, better performance, better capabilities. The reality of the situation is next gen is as simple as the next generation of product, nothing else. It's just an overused hype word by the gaming media. PC doesn't have gens, they just have an ever increasing amount of better and better hardware, so they can't be compared in this conversation.

Also, these "next gen" consoles can be built for about $500-$600 for a PC equivalent. So, using consoles own arguments against them, if hardware capabilities determine next gen, PC will always be ahead. The real issue at hand is that software is outpacing hardware. We can write better programming than even the best consumer hardware can run right now, and it's been that way for a while. We need the next technological jump forward to be to the real "next gen". Don't believe me? Look at all the new development engines out now. Read development articles, and you'll see even the best gaming companies can't fully utilize all that Unreal 4 engine is capable of right now, let alone waste time and money on a game hoping that in 4 years consoles and most PC's will be able to play their games full realized.

And just for the final nail in the coffin, there's a reason tech demos are almost ALWAYS run on PC's instead of consoles, because they always looks better. It comes down to PSU (power supply). PC's can handle the power consoles can't, and that won't change anytime soon. Sony and Microsoft need to take a page out of PC gaming's book and start letting people upgrade the consoles. This would not onl increase the life of the console, but also increase revenue over the long term, because the would also have exclusive rights to upgrading their consoles. How many of you would pay for a better graphics card, more memory, better processor, power supply, etc. if it meant that you could be playing a cleaner, crisper, faster, just overall better version of Halo 14 or whatever game you enjoy? Hardcore consoles would buy into it, and we all know the would, no matter how much they'd bitch and moan.

[McScroggz]

If people wanted to upgrade their consoles they would buy a PC instead. Look, PC's obviously have more power/performance and that will always be the case. However, because consoles set a soft cap on what PC's can do it limits the bulk of what PC's offer to being prettier.

An increase in power for consoles means games can be much more complex, which in turns means PC games can be more complex. Like it or not PC gaming and console gaming are intertwined. PC's don't have a next gen because they always improve, but a nex generation of consoles means a big improvement to PC's.

Crysis 3 is one of the best looking PC games ever, yet it runs on an Xbox 360 and PS3 without any fundamental changing, just graphics and whatnot. It's the same game just not as pretty. Doesn't that say something to you??? Imagine if the base is 6-7 GB of RAM and the other specs of the PS4? PC games will be A LOT better because of this next generation of consoles.

To ignore this is just to try to seem superior.

[tubers]

AFAIK, PC has mostly next gen or beyond graphics bar mods.

Core gameplay elements are mostly defined by consoles.. kinda like building from the lower common denominators.

[Wikki]

I've been gaming on ultra graphics with most games on a 1920x1200 monitor for a couple of years. If the PS4 comes out with better than PC graphics, it will only be for a very short time before the PC surpasses consoles again. Personally... I would love to see a Playstation program for my PC that lets me run PS4 discs without having to buy their hardware. Will never happen, but think of the money they could make if they don't limit themselves to their box.

[TenkoTAiLS]

I think what people forget is that the games that will run on your "next-gen" systems are MADE using PC's. If they can MAKE them and in turn RUN and TEST them on PC's before they move it over to the console itself (usually in the past with some form of down-scaling, tho this generation that may not be necessary)then it becomes pretty darn obvious that PC's are and always will be ahead of whatever console comes out.

When they start creating and making the games using only the console itself THEN you can say that consoles have surpassed the PC.

[Publicglutton]

If PS4 & Xbox 720 are Next Gen , then so is PC and has been for a while.

[vishmarx]

pc is like ps5/next nexbox but without any games or dev support ...
basically a benchmark tool

[Shacojin]

Why is it when comparing the pc to insult the console they only talk about their graphics card that cost them so and so money... did the other parts of the pc cost nothing?

[Rageanitus]

Playing Battlefield and Metro on my new gaming Rig.... simply amazing!! Much better than 5 year old gaming laptop.

[SonyPS4]

Actually PC is already 8.5th gen, and 9th gen next year.

[Ashunderfire86]

Thunbs up for this article!!! This is what I am trying to tell PC gamers, the PC version of a game is still identical, but a little better with graphics and etc. If you want a completely different version of a multiplatform game for PC, then download mods!! or becoming a modder to design your own stuff in the game. PC versions will always be identical to the game console versions, so PC gamers shut up about next gen consoles being dated. PC has to join the bandwagon it has no choice, because it is logical for many developers to make PC game versions look similar. Making it completely different would cause further delays for PC version to get it done.

[johnnyfrostmelt]

This is soooo petty..

Both consoles and PCs have a disadvantage. High end PCs have greater technology and there is no denying that, but consoles have well developed games exclusively crafted for their set up. It is simply that way for consoles because they appeal to a wider market due to price and accessibility.

A good way to see it is to imagine a boy with a pellet gun and a boy with an airsoft gun. Sure the boy with the airsoft gun may have the superior toy, but the pellet gun kid has more friends to play with.

My opinion. Nothing more.