Multi-Platform Releases

Zillah

This will be part rant, part question.

I don't like consoles. I think they're unneccessary and they result in people having to shell out for multiple platforms to be able to play all games. This is why I am asking the question below. But it is not an invitiation to start another consoles vs PC argument. Please don't do that.

Why do developers not release games both on PC and their console of choice? This happens with many games, and I'd imagine that the effort of making a game PC compatible would be quite small compared to creating the game in the first place. Which means that for a relatively small effort they can drastically increase their potential customer pool (double? triple? I don't know the numbers of PC gamers compared to owners of specific consoles, lets just say "lots of people"). Piracy isn't really much of an issue here, as they wouldn't have those customers in the first place without a PC market.

We know this is viable for many games, why not all of them?

PogMoThoin

Its easier for them to stick to consoles, there's no variation in parts therefore the game can be built for identical systems and tweaked that way. Also console games are usually 720p and upscaled to 1080p which is only 1280x720 on a pc monitor, this very easy to achieve but would look poor on a monitor if released on pc

L'prof

Zillah wrote: »

I don't like consoles. I think they're unneccessary and they result in people having to shell out for multiple platforms to be able to play all games. This is why I am asking the question below. But it is not an invitiation to start another consoles vs PC argument. Please don't do that.

Not trying to argue with you here, but personally I have 1 console and if a game isn't released on it, I go without. There's plenty of games out there anyway. Secondly, I'd like to point out that with PC gaming, you really need a high-spec PC to play all the latest games and then games are released which won't run smoothly on your PC, so you have to upgrade it, which is costly business!

To get to your point, releasing console games may be relatively straight forward for 360 games, but (and I don't pretend to know a huge amount about it) would it not be a much bigger task to covert a PS3 game over to PC? Maybe it would be more hassle than it's worth and would hold them back on other projects that they are developing. I'm sure there are a few companies out there that only want to program for Playstation, the same way there are people out there who only want to play Xbox/PC games.

steviec

PC games don't sell well, and open your product up to vastly increased piracy which may even take a bit out of the console version's sales. In the case of a game that's going to make 90% of its sales on a console, it often just isn't worth the time and hassle of testing and producing a PC version.

Cunny-Funt

which games do you have in mind? I'm a PC gamer fullstop and the only game I can think of that I'd like to play thats NOT coming to PC is little big planet.

So far if its on the 360 and worth playing , it usually end up on PC. Or the other way around and released on PC 1st , then 360.

Hell street fighter 4 is coming to PC. Something I've been begging to happen on the capcom forums around this time last year. Which resulted in a lot of flames from console noobs who said it would be retarded on a PC. Thing is due to emulators theres probably more people playing fighting games on PCs then on consoles atm.

Luckly Capcom aint ignorant to the PC as a platform. Although HD remix aint coming out for pc, which I thought woulda been great to release on Steam or something.

Otacon

Companies may not want to release their games onto PCs for fear of piracy. I think it is an issue.

For example, let's say Media Molecule decide to release LBP on the PC as well as the PS3. A lot of people have both. If the game gets copied and distributed via torrent sites, MM will begin to lose revenue they could have kept if they made LBP a PS3 exclusive.

Of course some people get games first to try them out and then buy, but I believe (read: in my opinion) most pirating gamers would not do this.

In the end, I can't blame companies for not supporting the PC market more. I think digital distribution services such as Steam are the way forward for the market. Maybe companies should look into this further.

thelordofcheese

steviec wrote: »

PC games don't sell well, and open your product up to vastly increased piracy which may even take a bit out of the console version's sales. In the case of a game that's going to make 90% of its sales on a console, it often just isn't worth the time and hassle of testing and producing a PC version.

This,
The PC is a pain to develop for. Both the OS and the hardware are moving targets.
Also: Piracy. And lots of it.

In short, too much effort for too little reward.

Cunny-Funt

Otacon wrote: »

For example, let's say Media Molecule decide to release LBP on the PC as well as the PS3. A lot of people have both. If the game gets copied and distributed via torrent sites, MM will begin to lose revenue they could have kept if they made LBP a PS3 exclusive.

Actually LBP is the type of game thats been common to the PC for years and only recently starting to happen on consoles. The PC is the home of small creative , multiplayer type games. Toribash, rag doll kung foo garrys mod etc etc etc.

LBP is the best thing the PS3 has going for it and it'll keep it as Sony only as result. Its nothing to do with it not working on the pc or not doing well on the pc. Its do to with not letting the other guys have it so they have to buy their ps3 to play it.

PixelTrawler

Course some games will never see the light of day on other consoles since they are the big Sony or Microsoft exclusives

Think Halo and Gran Turismo for example

Otacon

Cunny-Funt wrote: »

Actually LBP is the type of game thats been common to the PC for years and only recently starting to happen on consoles. The PC is the home of small creative , multiplayer type games. Toribash, rag doll kung foo garrys mod etc etc etc.

LBP is the best thing the PS3 has going for it and it'll keep it as Sony only as result. Its nothing to do with it not working on the pc or not doing well on the pc. Its do to with not letting the other guys have it so they have to buy their ps3 to play it.

I was just using LBP as it was mentioned already. You can substitute in any console exclusive and get the same point.

Cunny-Funt

You can substitute in any console exclusive for my last point too (what Solyad is touching off)

Its not due to the company worrying about piracy on the pc ruining sales, its about them being trapped in a contract where they're not allowed to release their game on any other system.

@ Zillah, you've yet to reply m8. What console games did you have in mind when you made this thread?

At the moment there are very few console games worth playing that are not on the pc. And those games are generally PS3 exclusives such as MGS4 and well, LBP and other games that sony are relying on to sell their console. Games that are being kept from the 360 also.

So its not really about consoles V PC tbh.

mayordenis

Obviously a console like the wii is exempt from this sort of rant.

You forget about consoles (and they are consoles) like the DS and PSP.

Some games are designed with a control pad in mind sure you can buy a pad for your pc but thats just shoehorning in my opinion.

For people who are not into PC's they have a reasonable amount of security they know they will be able to buy any game released on that platform and play it from day 1 on the max settings.

And you say piracy isn't an issue? That's being really really flippant with something that is a major issue - PC Developers have more or less given up on it because of the size of the issue that it is. Massive issue.

Dont be at yourself

Obviously first-party developers like Sony have no interest in releasing games for the PC or other systems, as their prime motivation is to attract users to their own system.

For third-party developers, there are many factors. The main ones, as I see them:

- Piracy: It's rampant on the PC, while a mere drop in the ocean on consoles. Virtually every major PC developer has shifted focus at least somewhat to consoles, citing dwindling sales due to piracy.

- Technology: The PC is a nightmare. Competing operating systems, a minefield of different processors, graphics cards, sound cards, input devices, display resolutions, and the need to support not only legacy hardware, but also future hardware, makes it a real headache to develop for the PC. There is also a greater need for product support and a continuous stream of patches and fixes to ensure the game runs smoothly for everybody, everywhere, on every system.

- Design philosophy: The PC is a 'sit forward' experience, whereas the console is a 'sit back' experience. The PC lends itself well to strategy games, where the consoles lend themselves to more relaxed, casual experiences. Many console games just wouldn't work on a PC, and vice-versa.

- Market: The amount of people who own a high-specced PC, who don't pirate games, who don't own at least one console? Tiny. Completely and totally dwarfed by the install-base of the Xbox 360 or PS3.

Ross_Mahon

A lot of people prefer to buy a console for games, As its easy to set up and play games, With PC games you have to have specs and possibly shell out more money just to play the latest games.

Xbox live keeps the community of gamers together, With PC games you have to get 3rd party chat and friend lists applications, With Xbox live you can keep in touch with everyone and what games they are playing.

They have tried to keep PC gamers and Console gamers together with some games allowing Vista users to play with Xbox 360 users, But there are only a few games available.

Most of the money being made is in console gaming, that's why the PC market has went downhill recently...:(