110°

2012: The Year The PC Showed Everyone Who’s Boss

Kotaku: For years it slumbered in darkness, deep within the earth. An Old God, maybe even the First God, its hibernation marked by rattling breaths reverberating in the deep like cinderblocks dragged across wet asphalt. Sleeping… resting. One day to wake.

And in the year 2012, the day of awakening arrived, and the great PC Gaming God rose from the depths and wreaked terrible destruction across the world of console gaming.

Yes, 2012 was likely the year we'll think back on as The Year The PC Returned. While of course, PC gaming never "went anywhere," not really, there was a definite sense that it got backburnered for a few years there. No longer.

Bladesfist4151d ago

PC will always be my primary platform because of the huge number of exclusives. Not only are there exclusive games but exclusive genres and a strong community. My steam library is valued at $3200 and I have paid a fraction of that price to get them all. Value and exclusives.

Mariusmssj4151d ago

It obviously has it's good sides and bad sides. So do consoles. Until next gen comes PC is more preferable choice for me.

LocutusEstBorg4151d ago (Edited 4151d ago )

Wrong. There are no disadvantages to PC. Anything that affects a PC, effects every other device, except a PC can have quick workarounds.

nukeitall4151d ago

@KurianOfBorg:

Wrong!

I there are plenty of issues not affecting consoles, such as poor performance due to wrong settings, inconvenient patching, drivers and so on.

PC does have a lot of advantages, but it isn't the be all of gaming. If it was, there would never be the rise of consoles and their continued emergence.

MikeMyers4151d ago

Judging by all the disagrees it seems to me people are just either console gamer slaves or don't know much about PC gaming. The two can and will co-exist so there is no reason to disagree when both have their pros and cons. One is not better than the other because every consumer is different.

The consoles have the marketing and ease of use. The PC's have the flexibility and the technology while not being hampered by corporations running the show.

KurianOfBorg, There are many disadvantages to PC gaming. One is there are many console exclusives that never make it to the PC. Two is the price. It's impossible to build a PC for $300 that comes with a controller and is ready to go. Some games require Windows for example. Try playing Far Cry 3 on a $300 PC that is 720p and runs at 30fps. Another issue for some is the lack of physical media. Most games now can only be bought digitally.

PC gaming takes more effort from the consumer. I love PC gaming but to say it has no disadvantages is wrong. Obviously the big 3 (Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo) have managed to sell hundreds of millions of consoles, so there is a void the PC hasn't been able to tap into yet.

decrypt4151d ago (Edited 4151d ago )

"My steam library is valued at $3200"

Good thing is you get to keep it next gen :P no question about the next box not running those games lol, niether will there be any question of companies trying to sell you LOL remakes.

My own Steam library consists of about 150 games ;-)

4151d ago
-MD-4151d ago

I have 314 games on my Steam account, they'll always be there too.

TitanUp4151d ago

pc gaming is awesome and im very happy with it

http://steamcommunity.com/i...

onandonandon4151d ago

Didn't know u could sell your steam games when you've finished them

hulk_bash19874151d ago

Yeah but buted games are what is hurting console games the most. The game developers and publishers dont see any profit from used games sales. Which hurt their bottom line and in turn affect the companies and franchises we love. That is why I always do my best to avoid used games. The video game industry is a business and we as video game consumers should support the people that make these games that we love.

ravinash4151d ago

Besides, how much money do you get back once you sell them.
Is it as much as you would save if you got the game for PC?
I got X com from Steam for £20 not to long after it had came out.
If I got it for my PS3 it would have cost me £36 at the time.

dedicatedtogamers4151d ago (Edited 4151d ago )

I don't think PC gaming was "sleeping". Not at all. The only people who think that are people who haven't been PC gamers for very long.

What has happened (and it happens EVERY SINGLE gaming generation) is that as the current consoles get older and begin to show their age, the high-end PC games (that have been coming out each year, every year) get noticed more because people can see the massive difference between console and PC. Remember a game called Half Life 2? It was on the original Xbox (terrible port, btw) and barely any console gamers paid attention to it, BUT when 360/PS3 launched and The Orange Box came out, everyone went ga-ga over a game that was nearly 3 years old.

Or what about Elder Scrolls? The franchise has been on PC for years and years (not to mention predecessors like Ultima), but as soon as Morrowind and Oblivion come out on consoles, everyone goes "OMG! FIRST PERSON OPEN WORLD FANTASY RPG? WAT IS THISSSSS??!" and PC gamers went "Ummmm, yeah, welcome to the club".

It's nothing new. Wait for a year or two when Xbox720/PS4 launch and we'll have yet another wave of "is PC gaming dead?" articles.

Somebody4151d ago

"Wait for a year or two when Xbox720/PS4 launch and we'll have yet another wave of "is PC gaming dead?" articles. "

I think they (gaming sites and console fans) will be a little bit careful next time around with such grand claim.

I remembered half a decade ago how PC gamers either desperately defend the PC or just huddled in the corner taking all the crap thrown at them during the PC is Dead Era. Now, I chuckled when earlier this year when the first "Console is Dead?" articles appeared and the fanboys came rushing in to defend their beloved consoles. The funny is that it's not the PC that's causing those "Dead" articles but mobile gaming.

ravinash4151d ago (Edited 4151d ago )

I would say if anything that causes these article about PCs are dying and the consoles have had their day. It's just the media trying to get attention.
I play of PC for a while, went to PS2 then to PS3 and then back to PC recently.
Basically different people like different things. I enjoy sitting on the couch playing a game which is what makes a console great, but I also enjoy playing strategy games which are better plays on the PC. so these days I play on PS3 and PC.

This thing about one of the other dying is a waste of time because as each console gets out dated and starts to show against the latest model PCs (Or middle of the range PCs) then the newest model comes out and the cycle starts again.

ATi_Elite4151d ago (Edited 4151d ago )

Kidnapping in DayZ is turning into big business as well as paying for Security Escorts. Also Eve Online has seen a up tick in Kidnapping and Ransom demands but in Eve Online it's usually for real money by way of ISK!!!

Nothing and I mean nothing is like this anywhere but on the Glorious PC.

Why did I become a PC Gamer? The PC Exclusives and wanting to have complete control over my Gaming Experience!

PC Gaming and Windows: As Valve makes a move towards Linux....Microsoft will finally take their head outta their arse and embrace PC Gaming but by then it will be too late.

Valve is gonna some how make is so that Microsoft is NOT needed to play PC Games (Eliminating DirectX in favor of OpenGL) thus removing Microsoft and it's greedy decisions from PC Gaming.

AKS4151d ago

Cool it with the Master Race stuff. That just pisses people off, and that term has a pretty repugnant history. It's a joke that has long been overplayed and overused.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4151d ago
chukamachine4151d ago

I game on many platforms.

But other then graphics in some area's, pc owns nothing.

Many top titles do not appear on PC.

Metro is overrate rubbish/
Crysis is ZZzzzz these days

There are still some great games on PC.

KurianOfBorg there are issues with drivers on both NVidia and amd that still have no fix. You only need to look in forums for that.

PC is still the best place for BF3 though:)

Bladesfist4151d ago

PC owns the indie scene, modding, RTS, Simulation, Stratergy, MMO, Multiplayer (more players, dedicated servers, less lag)

Console owns JRPG and ???

Imalwaysright4151d ago

TPS, Beat'em up, hack n' slash and sports games. Everything else is superior on the PC including multiplatforms. Exclusives are personal preferences. Next year the game i want to play the most is TLoU. That is why i couldn't live without my PC/PS3 combo.

Ddouble4151d ago

Fighting games also do much better on consoles than PC. SF4 and SFXT are on it but it's still missing a lot of others.

PC/PS3 combo like imalwaysright said ensures you don't miss anything.

Theo11304151d ago

It's been a great year for PC gaming, the gaming industrys zombie. Hopefully the new consoles give me a reason to get one next year or I'm upgrading my pc again( even though I dont' need too)

bikar4151d ago (Edited 4151d ago )

who is boss ?

Brand new PC vs 6 years old consoles
LOL

It was about time

onandonandon4151d ago

I know it's like comparing PS3 to PS2 or XBOX 360 to XBOX!

dirthurts4151d ago

A good 6 year old pc still beat the modern console.
A bonus, a modern PC will still beat next gen consoles.
Catching up just to still be behind.

bikar4151d ago

A good 6 years old pc that was better than consoles at lounch was 3x more expensive

Bladesfist4150d ago

@bikar And it could do more than 3x the amount of things, PC is more than just gaming.

Somebody4151d ago

The majority the game developers in this year's E3 used the PC to showcase their latest game engines for their upcoming games.

VonBraunschweigg4151d ago

And in the year 2012, the day of awakening arrived, and the great PC Gaming God rose from the depths and wreaked terrible destruction across the world of console gaming untill spring 2013 when console gaming wreaks terrible destruction across the world of Los Santos.

PC may be God but Heaven will be on console.

Zha1tan4151d ago

but then it will release on PC later with mod support and it will become a better heaven.

patience child.

Show all comments (45)
160°

Helldivers 2 dev acknowledges 'unfortunate' firing of community manager beloved by fans

An existing community manager for Helldivers 2 has acknowledged the 'unfortunate' departure of Spitz following the whole PSN fiasco.

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northpaws2h ago

From what I see on Reddit, a lot of fans also hate him... it is just a guy that like the stir shits up, it is not good for both the Arrowheads and the fans.

210°

Xbox Studio Closures 'Eggs Broken to Make Omelet' Situation; Great Show Could Mostly Eclipse Anger

Wccftech discussed the recent Xbox news with MIDiA Research analyst Rhys Elliott, who pointed out that a strong upcoming Games Showcase could help a lot with fans.

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RaidenBlack8h ago(Edited 8h ago)

I was hoping for something different from Coalition, not Gears 6 so soon.
Their expertise in UE development could've propelled them to try out other IPs using the new UE5.
But guess, given recent MS' state, Gears 6 was the 'safer' call for the studio. But still hope they venture other IPs or even other genres ... at least FPSs in future?

Alexious6h ago

Microsoft seems only interested in maximizing profits through its biggest IPs at this point.

Fishy Fingers3h ago

So soon? Its been 5 years since Gears 5, longest gap between games in the franchise.

XiNatsuDragnel8h ago

I was hoping for better but Microsoft being safe again....

MrDead4h ago

Why would people be less angry? If MS made it's own games instead of buying up what was already available then we wouldn't be in the situation that everyone is angry at.

MS is the problem.

miyoka3h ago(Edited 3h ago)

Just forget what happened and keep supporting Microsoft!

SonyStyled1h ago(Edited 1h ago)

Everybody pays for or uses MS in some form personally or professionally. If that’s considered supporting, it hasn’t been helping Xbox.

PRIMORDUS3h ago

Fuck MS and Phil. I already told that shit bag off on Twitter, if the dumb ass responds I highly doubt it, I will go off much worse. What a fucking disgrace MS and Phil are to the gaming community.

Show all comments (13)
120°

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Relientk772h ago

I love Ratchet & Clank so I will indeed be keeping an eye on this.

DivineHand1251h ago

Same. I am a big fan of the series and feel it is criminally underappreciated by the community at large.