Gears of War on PC?

In its holiday issue, soon to be on store shelves, PC Gamer may have inadvertently announced Gears of War for Windows. On page 28 of the Holiday 2006 issue, a display stand photographed on the Microsoft campus shows Gears of War among several upcoming PC games.

Microsoft could not confirm that Gears is in fact coming to PC and the company has no current plans for an announcement in the near future. The article in PC Gamer discusses the future of Windows Vista and Microsoft's efforts to support the new OS with high-profile games.

[THWIP]

...not that anyone should be surprised. My buddy Bill Greene, who works for Epic and was one of the artists on Gears, told me this about a month ago.
He also confirmed that UT2007 was coming to 360 and PC as well....like any intelligent person already knew it would. ;)

[Nodoze]

Interesting. I really wish MS would concentrate on TRUE exclusives though. This means that any PS3 fan would be able to get their hands on our beloved Gears.

Not a smart business move if you ask me.

You don't see God of War on the PC now do you??

[Grown Folks Talk]

playstation games do you see on the pc? you'll see alot of ps3 games there. who cares? i'd rather be able to spend my $400 on my 360 and then just have to buy games, rather than spending hundreds + every year to upgrade my computer.

[THWIP]

MS IS the PC market...they're promoting 'Games for Windows' as heavily as they are the 360; the 2 together are a fantastic 1-2 punch for them. Sony doesn't HAVE that advantage. Sure you won't see any Sony exclusives coming to PC, because that would mean MS would get a little piece of the action....and Sony is too proud to let that happen.
Fact is, MS has a HUGE upperhand on Sony and Nintendo, when you factor in the PC market. When you look at a game like Crysis...that every console owner wants for their 360 or PS3...MS has bragging rights REGARDLESS of whether or not it ever reaches consoles.
THAT is why MS is finally getting all the quality new "exclusives", while Sony only has the same tired franchises it's had for years; most of the exclusive games they have coming to the 360, will also be coming for Vista (NOT Windows XP, mind you). They can tell developers "Hey, we not only have a huge lead on Sony in the console market, but we can also offer you the PC market as well...which they can't". What that means is, if you want to play those games, you'll either be forking out cash for Vista and/or a Vista PC...or you'll buy a 360.
Not a smart business move? You might want to think on that for a few minutes. ;)

[Rooted_Dust]

Adventure games don't translate well on a PC, but for first and third person shooters a keyboard and a mouse are the best thing ever.

[The_Firestarter]

You're such an extreme fanboy! Who cares if the Ps3 fanboy "get their hands on our beloved Gears".
Shouldn't you be happy!? WTF! Then they can "JUMP IN" idk.

[Arkham]

Good job! Can't wait to play this one on my PCs.

[Silver Bull3t]

M$ needs to stop this sh!T IMMEDIATELY.... I don't want to see all the killer 360 apps ported to the PC. I don't care how bad they're trying to push VISTA!!!

(of course it would look insane if enhanced for DX10!!!)

[THWIP]

1.) Why do you care if someone else gets to play this, or any other game for that matter?

2.) How do you think this hurts MS, or helps Sony....or affects anything other than the PC community?

This is simply a reversal of the days prior to the XBOX, when the PC got all the great games, either exclusively, or LOOOONG before they were ever ported to a console...in a much lesser form. MS has to keep the Windows Gaming monster fed, but this has ZERO impact on their console strategy. Read my earlier post...it's all good. ;)

[Silver Bull3t]

Ever hear of an opinion jackasss?

Making all your system-selling content available on other platforms(PC in this case) doesn't seem wise to me... what's so hard to understand about this?

[THWIP]

...it just doesn't make sense. :o

The thing is, MS understands that there's largely a sharp division between console and PC gamers...always has been, always will be. Sure, there are some who've crossed over, and certainly there's many who like both. But, for the most part, PC gamers are a cliquish bunch, who frown on console games/gamers, and love that mouse-n-keyboard more than their own mothers. Basically, MS is catering to 2 different parties:

1.) Console gamers, who understand they may sacrifice a bit in the framerate and graphics department with some games, compared to PC rigs...but the price differential will make it worthwhile

2.) PC gamers who are used to having to upgrade their rigs every 2-3 years, just to keep up with the industry...and actually take PRIDE in how much $$ they've thrown/will throw at their box, just to play their games.

A very small percentage of people can/will do both...which is exactly why the console market has exploded in the past decade. Either way though, MS gets a piece of the action.

What's so hard to understand about THAT?

[Rooted_Dust]

I think this can only help Sony. Why would any PC players buy X-Box 360 to play games that they can play better on PC. So PC players looking for different games really only have to choose between Sony and Nintendo.

[Silver Bull3t]

thank you...

[THWIP]

Read my earlier posts on this. If you can't understand that this is a win-win situation for MS, then you are seriously lacking in the common sense department. 0_o

[Rooted_Dust]

Im not debating the fact that MS will make profit, but they are also pushing PC-Gamers towards other console systems. I really don't care if MS is making a larger profit. I care about the profit to myself. As a PC owner and a PS3 owner I can have the most diverse library of games

[Silver Bull3t]

Who cares if this is good for M$?... I know that as a 360 owner I don't want all the good 360 titles available on PC. I want to have some content EXCLUSIVE to the $400 console I invested in, otherwise I woulda just beefed up my PC and not bought a console to begin with.

It's not about if it's good for M$ or Sony or whoever... it's about do I feel like I'm getting a "special" experience out of my hardware. If titles get continuously ported to the PC and sold for $10 cheaper, then the answer is no.

Does this help you THWIP?

[Nodoze]

THWIP perhaps it is YOU who needs to evaluate this business model more thoroughly. I understand the differences. The downfall of the previous XBOX in my opinion is the fact that a large number of the 'exclusives' were in fact NOT exclusive in that they were also available on the PC. For those that ALREADY have a gaming PC, this is a no brainer, and DISCOURAGES the purchase of a 360. Additionally the PC is rampant with piracy so the sell through will be less.

My point is that Sony's model for exclusives has HELPED sell PS's. While MS's model discourages sales as the games are NOT exclusive.

From a dev standpoint, perhaps the insight from Epic will help you understand things better. It was mentioned that the revenue from Gears is expected to eclipse ALL OTHER products produced to date. There is more money for devs on the console side (the exception rather than the rule being niche products like world of warcraft).

Finally, while I respect the in roads MS is making to reinvigorate the PC market, they need to work to differentiate their console and PC business. They are seperate beasts and need to be treated as such.

Having exclusives like Gears appear on the PC is a poor strategic mov....unless they wait like they did with Halo and Halo 2 (which if there are already boxes on display does not appear as such).

I welcome other opinions here, but mine is that in order to attract net new business to the console exclusives to the console are required to differentiate from not only the PS3, but importantly the PC as well.

[The_Firestarter]

Who cares if pc gamers gets GoW! Fine I should complain then that you xbox owners got Oblivion, Doom 3, Prey, and FEAR! Those games originated on the pc. I don't want any pc "killer apps" on the 360 (sarcasm)! You're comment utterly shows your arrogance. I'm gonna buy a Ps3 and Wii later in '07 while still being a pc gamer. This gives me the power to enjoy PS3, Wii, PC, and some ported 360 games like GoW! I don't want to play all 360 games, so I don't have to buy it, just get the ported games on PC. So this gives me the chance to experience a HUGE variety of games. So you can't flame me and call me a fanboy, because I enjoy all platforms unlike you.

[Rooted_Dust]

Consoles are also getting the Half Life series. You are not worthy :(

[The_Firestarter]

Console owners are getting HL2, HL2 Ep.1, Ep.2, Portal, and Team Fortress 2 all in one bundle, only having to pay one price!!! While me, a pc gamer, had to buy HL2, then HL2: Episode 1 seperately, and will have to buy Episode 2 seperately as well! Some console owners need to stop complaining.

[Silver Bull3t]

"I'm gonna buy a Ps3 and Wii later in '07 while still being a pc gamer. This gives me the power to enjoy PS3, Wii, PC, and some ported 360 games like GoW! I don't want to play all 360 games, so I don't have to buy it, just get the ported games on PC."

You illustrate my point beautifully, bravo.

[The_Firestarter]

Oh wait, you can't! Too bad, not enough speech bubbles! AHAHAHAHA! MY POINT: There's no need to buy a 360.

[power of Green]

Who cares.

[Arkham]

A *lot* of people care. What a ridiculous thing to say.

What a lot of people don't care about are the rankings, achievements and other XBL-extras that are exclusive to the console version. A lot of people would consider them a bit too fannish.

You're right, I guess. A lot of people don't care about a lot of things.

[power of Green]

PC gaming is fastly becoming a dieing breed, nothings wrong with selling consoles and software.

PC owners that buy ports vs the 360 are not going to do anything to hurt sale's because there's not enough of them and with the HDTV era is here, PC gamers wont matter at all(except putting extra cash in MS wallet).

The new trend isn't sitting in front of a 17" screen it's in front of 40" and 50" TV's with sound systems hooked up to them, MS doesn't have anything to worry about. A good comparison is other hits for the Xbox such as Halo's ect.

[Arkham]

Again with the negativity. If it's not one thing it's the other.

There *is* a world out there beyond your specific console of choice.

Do you, y'know, love your box "in that way."

Do you sleep with your console?

What did you name your console?

[power of Green]

Funny comming from somebody that gets offended like PS3's a family member. |

That's not Negativity it's my opinion on why MS seemingly according to other Sonyfanboy's such as yourself think MS's helping Sony win it's my opinion that actually started out as telling people to not flame and that the artical did not say MS/Epic anounced GoW for PC.

It sounds negative to somebody that hate's MS as if; MS was a person that negativlly effecting their lives all. Grow up kid.

#8.1 i dont understand what you're trying to say Halo fans dont care about people that play Halo on PC.

#8.1 Quote from #8.1: Alot of people dont care about Rankings, Achievements and other XBL-extras that are exclusive to the console version.

#8.1 PC gamers dont care about rankings?

#8.1 MS tittles are scoreing higher with 3rd party tittles because of the downloadable content.

What a ridiculous thing to say.

[Arkham]

Because I like the PS3 I'm a fanboy? What a foolish thing to say. I'm multiplatform and play whatever I want with the time that I have.

Some of us have a life in the real world outside of XBL.

Seeing you guys complain about a game coming to the PC is such a hoot. That position is the ultimate example of taking your console preference way too seriously.

[mellowspaz]

I think the delay is longer than you guys believe, look at the original halo and release on pc. The gap was about 2 years, I think. Also, Halo 2 is not even out on PC.

[Rooted_Dust]

In PC-Gamer they have a picture of a Games for Windows Kiosk with GOW and Halo2 sitting next to each other. They will both most likley be realeased around the same time as Windows Vista.

[shysun]

WoW...is there any real 360 Exclusives!LOL

[power of Green]

Yah! selling games on two platforms is WoW. lol

[BIadestarX]

Some of you are ignorants. This game is an exclusive. Here is why? Because it will never be on Linux (which runs on the PS3) or any device or platform that have the Name Sony on.
I think is very smart what microsoft is doing. For those that prefer to spend thousands a year to play games and they want to play a killer app for from the 360 and do not want to buy a 360 they can do so. Soon when vista comes out it will become more obvious due to live anywhere, where you will be able to choose where you want to play the games.
Remember microsoft makes money not on consoles sold but on games sold. When the Vista comes out and people start buying games for the PC people will pay for Vista($$$) and the game ($$$) without microsoft having to lose money on the console since people are responsible of paying for the hardware they will be running the game and vista on.
Where do you think microsoft will make more money? Vista Games or XBox 360 games? Microsoft is simply creating another stream where lots of money will be made. Besides this does not affect gamers since a person that buys a console will not pay $2,000 to play gears, and a person that has a PC for gamming most likely will not play gears on a console. This is a win win situation for microsoft and the gamer. If microsoft make more money, expect more games.
It is very smart for microsoft to go for those people that will not buy a console regarless (Something that Sony can not do). Take PS3 fans for example, if they want to play gears they will have to get the PC version, most likely will be playing using liveAnywhere and we get to kick their as*es online! By doing this microsoft will get money from PC Gamers(not interested in consoles), PS3 gamers(that want to play an xbox 360 game), and others. Genious!

[marcusfenix]

The 360 cost 323 to make now so they are making a profit on both models, since the manufacturing cost for the core doesn't include the hard drive. So this time around microsft with be making profit by mid term next year or Q4 next year.

[power of Green]

I thought that was common sense, but maybe not sence rabbid fanboys like "Arkham" will personally attack people for knowing what you just posted. GoW's not yet mentioned to be ported. Console prefference is what it is. Dont respond to my post MS hater #9.3 all i have to do is check your past posts to know your a MS hating Sony fanboy. You Sony fans were trying to make selling games on two platforms a bad thing and then turn around and bash the people that say its a good thing.

[360pluswiiequalsps3]

all my friends who have 8800gtx will laugh at my 360 cuz they always download

[gnothe1]

MS is promoting Vista as a gaming OS, now you can either buy a x360 to play these games or buy windows vista, I bet these games will not run on windows xp. therefore there pushing there products to the limit.if you want to play this game you must BUY one or another. Vista or xbox360, did everybody get that!! brilliant aint it!!