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Will consoles occupy MMORPG market in next few years?
Sioda
Member UncommonPosts: 1
Today I had discussion with my friend about future of MMORPG in terms of hardware used for playing and about future of games at all. His opinion (based on publications in press) is that in next few years will be recession on PC game market and in the future PC will be used for only office and server needs and consoles will totally shift PC from game market. In my opinion, it is not true, at least in case of MMORPG. Yes, you can buy keyboard and mouse for console and there will be some sort of voice communication probably but how many people will buy keyboard and mouse for their consoles and how convenient using mouse and keyboard with console? I guess not too many will buy them and you will need a table in front of your TV because you can't use keyboard and mouse sitting on sofa etc. But I understand that there are much more console gamers than PC gamers so it is more profitable for publishers to sell games on console market. I think that if MMORPGs will be designed with console as primary target then there will be heavy loss of quality for not casual players who not just only play games but live in MMORPG world and participate in ingame politics by capturing castles, raiding enemy territories or climbing in guild ladder. I'm curious to know if game developers dedicated to making games you can play for years or just take your money for few months play? While there are developers that make games you can play for years, PC games will never die, IMO.
What are your opinions?
What are your opinions?
Comments
I have to see 1 strategy game that is better on any console than on PC, than I will consider them a "threat" to take over the PC share. Consoles taking a pre-dominant MMO-RPGs position, I don't say it is impossible, but I see huge reasons as to why I rather play it on my PC rather than on my Xbox360.
Can an army equipped with bows take over an army equipped with riffles? It is not impossible, but...
- "If I understand you well, you are telling me until next time. " - Ren
There are certain types of games that generally are better on PC than Consoles, FPS, Strategy, MMO on PC for example, and this is due to how people play them. IMO PC gamers will happily sit down and dedicate themselves to an evening of gaming in a little room somewhere, but console gamers tend to be more social, sitting in the front room with some mates, playing a beat em up for example. So Pcs tend to attract the more in-depth games and gamers.
This is not an anti-console bash, i enjoy playing them, but i enjoy PCs for different reasons.
i dont think that consoles are going to dominate the MMO market any time in the future, MMOs just require too much time committed.
Which Final Fantasy Character Are You?
Final Fantasy 7
I find it amazing that by 2020 first world countries will be competing to get immigrants.
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Not accurrate (sorry) PC games had a better year (2006) this then (2005) and there have been more then a few excellent PC games released in 2006. PC games where not "in a slump" this past year.
http://www.gamespot.com/news/6164433.html
MMO's had a crappy year. MMO's generally do much much worse then other PC genres in sales anyway. They are niche and have a monthly fee. It keeps alot of gamers away. (not to mention they are relatively dull to play as "games") WoW will continue to hold up MMO's sales numbers though with the release off BC this year. Recurring Subscription fees are the "golden prize" in MMO's. A smaller number of players paying much more for the game over time.
As for the OP's point, yes I believe you will see alot more cross platforming in the next 5 years. The console market is far to large to ignore. Its the next logical step. Every new generation of consoles that releases, PC lose alittle more ground. Right now its MODDING / RTS and somewhat shooters (although not really as you can buy most major PC shooters on console) that will keep consoles apart from the PC. Shooters may not play as well as on a PC but thats not stopping them from cross-platforming. In the future its pretty likely the only thing that will seperate PC's from consoles is the ability to Mod. Something MMO's do not have to worry about. Plan on seeing it become a standard, FFXI broke that barrier along time ago. Its all about sales.
That being said, the big game companies would rather produce software for console, rather than PC. What we are seeing with the big "movement to console" is not so much that the buying public wants to move to console. It is the industry trying to grab the public kicking and screaming over there, because console allows the industry to avoid all the compatability issues, copywright issues, and 3rd party influences over the games.
The problem is that moving games to console is more than a hardware and software issue. Its a cultural issue. The console may be as sophisticated as any desktop PC, but it will always be considered a toy, and will always be a product of "the sofa," linked to a television that the console must fight with the DVD, the cable, the VCR, and network TV.
The PC is a product of "the office," and justifies its place on the desk in a way no console can ever justify. It is a place for work, and its a place for games that require work, space, and seclusion. You can easily port EQ2 or EVE to console, but you need a desk to play EQ2, or EVE, which runs counterintuitive to what a console is supposed to be in a household.
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"Its sad when people use religion to feel superior, its even worse to see people using a video game to do it."
--Arcken
"...when it comes to pimping EVE I have little restraints."
--Hellmar, CEO of CCP.
"It's like they took a gun, put it to their nugget sack and pulled the trigger over and over again, each time telling us how great it was that they were shooting themselves in the balls."
--Exar_Kun on SWG's NGE
Before I start, I just want to make my views on this completely clear. There will be MMOs on the consoles, but they will be very different from the MMOs that are released on the PC. I'm thinking that the most popular console MMOs of the future will be like most Korean MMORPGs without the senseless grind. Now on to the comments that I disagree with.
I have to see 1 strategy game that is better on any console than on PC
Military Madness for the old TurboGrafix 16 springs directly to mind, as does Metal Marines for the SNES. More recently, there was Advanced Wars: Dual Strike for the Nintendo DS as well as the Age of Empires 2 conversion for the DS. Given, these are both turn based, however, Battle for Middle-Earth 2 was released on the XBox 360 and didn't suffer from most of the control issues of other PC to console RTS conversions.
The main problem is one of interface. Game developers are just now beginning to understand how to approach this in a way that closes the gap.
FPS will ALWAYS be better on PC
Metroid Prime: Hunters on the DS was pretty close to using a laptop thumb mouse. The Wii controller is also a pointing device on the same level as a mouse. While Call of Duty 3, Red Steel, and Farcry were all lackluster on the Wii, it had more to do with the shortcomings of the games themselves than to the interface. I'm pretty sure that once Metroid Prime: Corruption comes out on the Wii, the gap will be completely closed if the Wii doesn't go beyond what's possible with a PC.
Last but not least, Modding, Modding, Modding.
In the case of FPS, RTS, and single player RPGs, I'll have to agree with you. As far as MMORPGs are concerned, players aren't allowed to tinker with the game mechanics so modding isn't a factor.
PC's will always be top for MMO's for the far future.
Maybe not as far into the future as you may think. Not so long ago, there was a PS2 controller released with a 2-way keyboard (like on a Blackberry) positioned in between and above the D-pad and face buttons. Then there's the advancements in Voice over IP technology.
The main thing blocking consoles from the MMORPG genre is the lack of communication interface. With this generation of consoles all having online functionality as a major feature, don't think for a minute that this situation is going to last for very much longer.
There are a couple cases even in MMORPGs where external development is applicable. Such as chat bots, skinnable UI's, and custom UI's.
Generally you'll find after a few years that a console has been out, the game sales begin to slump while PC sales increase. As was the cast last year around summer. Blockbuster PC hits like World of Warcraft have seen a dramatic number of console gamers realize the joys of PC gaming (I could name a dozen people I know that rarely PC gamed before WoW, and now are on their PC all the time.)
Last the market for console games overshadows PC games less then you would actually suspect. Mostly because there is an incredibly massive market out there for casual gamers (Think the Sims, which has vastly out-sold any console game.) PC's are perfect for tapping that potential, and already do. Far far more people play Mine Sweeper then play console games. There was a study recently that suggested billions of business dolors go down the tube each year do to time lost playing Mine Sweeper.
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/13/scientist-minesweeper-probably-cost-economy-billions
So theres a lot more to the discussion then 'consoles sell way more, so PC gaming will disappear in the next few years.' good point, but the second part of my statement stands. of all the games shops i frequent, the PC section has been shrinking to make room for the consoles. i know its anecdotal at best, but its what i got.
Generally you'll find after a few years that a console has been out, the game sales begin to slump while PC sales increase. As was the cast last year around summer. Blockbuster PC hits like World of Warcraft have seen a dramatic number of console gamers realize the joys of PC gaming (I could name a dozen people I know that rarely PC gamed before WoW, and now are on their PC all the time.)
Last the market for console games overshadows PC games less then you would actually suspect. Mostly because there is an incredibly massive market out there for casual gamers (Think the Sims, which has vastly out-sold any console game.) PC's are perfect for tapping that potential, and already do. Far far more people play Mine Sweeper then play console games. There was a study recently that suggested billions of business dolors go down the tube each year do to time lost playing Mine Sweeper.
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/01/13/scientist-minesweeper-probably-cost-economy-billions
So theres a lot more to the discussion then 'consoles sell way more, so PC gaming will disappear in the next few years.' good point, but the second part of my statement stands. of all the games shops i frequent, the PC section has been shrinking to make room for the consoles. i know its anecdotal at best, but its what i got. Oh I agree totally. Developers, distributors, and investors haven't been producing the games for PC as much as they are for console. Like I said in my post above, if they had their way, players would play on console only.
However, I don't see much evidence that the gaming public really wants to abandon their PC for console, despite what the industry wants the gaming public to do.
__________________________
"Its sad when people use religion to feel superior, its even worse to see people using a video game to do it."
--Arcken
"...when it comes to pimping EVE I have little restraints."
--Hellmar, CEO of CCP.
"It's like they took a gun, put it to their nugget sack and pulled the trigger over and over again, each time telling us how great it was that they were shooting themselves in the balls."
--Exar_Kun on SWG's NGE
you can take my mouse and keyboard from my cold dead hands!
(assuming you can find them under the layer of rubbish on my desk)
If consoles try to emulate what the PC can do then by that time they are virtually a PC already. But since the console niche doesnt get lost as consoles allows you to sit side by side with your friend and just enjoy playing games in your lounge... etc. But me, I have both... PC for serious gaming, Wii for doing something different(and it amuses me)
i~ku~ra
Hello,
I agree with you that pc mmorpgs wont ever die completly.
I would like to say though that consule mmo's in general are getting big.
A few consule mmo's are as follows:
-Phantesy Star online
-FFXI
Now PSO is a mmorpg but doesnt have many members yet but its growing.
On the other hand FFXI has a huge community that keeps getting bigger. But the reason its so big is because Its on PS2, Xbox 360, and of course PC. To finish it off there cross compatible. With out the PC version though Id have to admit there would be very Few players do to the fact that the PS2 version cost 100$. What SE has done is made it for the 360 and gave you 2 of the expansions with it to get more people. So far in my opion its working.
In the end, consule mmo's are growing fast... but I believe PC mmo's are going to remain king.
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Im new to Xfire so i beg you to please send me freind invites if you play BF2, GW, or WC3.
HOWEVER
PRO-PC: How would a dev company patch their game? I mean, dev companies are notorious for releasing MMOs with tons of bugs. How do you patch up a console game? How do you release a new tier of armor? A new 40 man raid dungeon? A new class nerf because somebody got killed on a pvp server? These are the serious issues! I don't see how consoles are going to overcome all this...
How? Simple, that do it the same way they do for the computer. There are mmorpgs already on consoles you know, and yes, they get patched, bug fixes, new gear, new dungeons, nerfs, expansions, and everything else just like PC mmorpgs. Honestly, what is the difference between playing a mmorpg on your PC and a mmorpg on your console... nothing but the comfort of your couch. There are keyboards for consoles after all.
I personally think some games play better on computer and some on consoles. At the end of the day, everyone have their own preferences.
We are busy with xbox live enjoying oblivion and a few other console games that are keeping us very busy.
While we miss the days we were addicted to our various mmorpgs, guilds, ventrillo just not sure if that will happen again.
The kids (teenagers) and one grown son, said it best we were all getting older and getting busy with other things.
The romance period of mmorpgs may have passed us by for the near future
Honestly, what is the difference between playing a mmorpg on your PC and a mmorpg on your console... nothing but the comfort of your couch. There are keyboards for consoles after all.
The difference is that you don't want to put your PS3 on your desk, looking at a flat panel. That would be a total waste of a PS3's capability. You want to put your PS3 on the big plasma screen in your living room, because a console like the PS3 is designed to be played on the premire television in the household. The software is designed with the assumption that the player is partaking in not only a mechanical excercise, but a visual and auditory extravaganza.
The console only comes into its own when the screen is large, the sound is big, and the distance is far. Hence, you do not see much, if any, fine print. You do not see lists of detailed data on prices, or detailed notetaking of any sort. You don't see much information and interactivity on the screen of a console game at any one time. Its one of the reasons RTS doesn't play well on console. Individual units are too numerous, too small, and too necessary to size up quickly, that you'll never be able to efficiently navigate all of the information quickly enough from as far away as you are in console play. This is made up for the fact that you see stikingly detailed "portraits" on console, than you'll ever experience on PC. Otherwise, the console is no better, and in fact is somewhat worse, than a PC, if played on a PC type setup with a small monitor at close range. It would be like taking a photo of a face using the wide angle lens on a camera. Yes you can do it, but the results are not as impressive as if you used the zoom lens.
Consoles are enjoyable because unlike PC games, a premire television transforms the games into something that rivals TV in terms of its cinematography. It is the type of entertainment that replicates movies, or television. It can do it because the big screen makes it possible, but more importantly than that, the PS3 has to hijack all of the TV's other entertainment functions while it is in operation.
The PS3 has to "fight for TV rights" alongside the cable TV, sattelite, DVD, VCR, etc. Moreover, it has to fight for TV time not only with your needs in mind, but everyone else's desires in mind. If you want to call in sick for a day, and take the time to grind some levels, you might not be able to do so if your wife wants to watch Oprah, your daughter wants to watch Justin Timberlake's concert, and your son wants to watch Ultimate Fighting Championship. All of you must somehow find a way to determine who gets to use the TV, knowing full well that the TV that makes best use of your PS3 is also the best TV for everyone else.
That is why console games tend to be "episodic" RP and adventure games, rather than "perpetual" living worlds that do not have a "pause" button, or junctures to save games. The cultural context of where the console operates requires them.
Now of course, you could give your PS3 a home on your desk. Then again, your PC is already there, and unlike the console, actually belongs on your desk. Unlike a console, the PC is a working tool. It is built to display a plethora of detailed information through text, because the monitor is close, the perepherals are right there, and you can have a bunch of tasks running at the same time. You can efficiently sift through a buch of detail quickly, and respond just as quickly with a mouse. You also have room to take notes freehand, and the seclusion to stay there for extended periods of time. Therefore, games that have lots of detailed "data" that can be congnitavely processed tend to work well on PC, as well as games that cannot be realistically "paused" when the wife has to see what Oprah's book club is recommending.
So again, its not a matter of the hardware, or the software, or the capability being duplicated. It is a matter of the environment each platform is expected to operate within, and the limitations. Because we have had keyboards with consoles since Atari 2600. Yet nobody uses them, nor will use them, because televisions are not used, nor pursued, to facilitate static spreadsheets, or word processors. We have PCs, and more importantly, the desk the PC rests upon, to do those jobs where we have to respond to the images in a focused state. TVs are designed to display visceral images in motion, and for that reason, TVs are in front of our couches, where we can relax, and let the images affect us.
__________________________
"Its sad when people use religion to feel superior, its even worse to see people using a video game to do it."
--Arcken
"...when it comes to pimping EVE I have little restraints."
--Hellmar, CEO of CCP.
"It's like they took a gun, put it to their nugget sack and pulled the trigger over and over again, each time telling us how great it was that they were shooting themselves in the balls."
--Exar_Kun on SWG's NGE
The reason theres a shift from PC to Console happening is price. A new gaming Console is the same if not less than the price of a top of the line vid card. Take that a step futher and compare the price of a complete PC that will run the latest greatest and compare that to the the price of a Console.
Quality of Games. Games for Consoles dont often hit the market full of bugs or incomplete like they tend to for PC. And its easier for companys to program games for Consoles than PC. No multiple configuration problems to wory about.
If not for the success of WoW I doubt there would be as much of an interest as there is for MMORPG's from gaming companys. I think one of the reasons for WoW's success can be atributed to the fact it will play and look good on Older PCs. If more gaming company spent more time on content for there games than appearance and graphix I suspect they would be more successful.