Razer - PC Gaming is not dead.

[OvRiDe]

Razer has something up their sleeve...

ZQyZuUcHZzI

[mDust]

They have my attention, but if I'm going to be playing a game, it's going to be on a PC for

Keyboard and mouse
Ability to upgrade
Simultaneous internet access
Monitor resolution and multiple monitors
Graphics
Poly count
Mods

and probably 10 other things I'll think of after I hit 'submit reply'.

Who has been saying PC gaming is dead? All 3 consoles are terrible in every way except upfront cost when compared to PC. The only thing the consoles have is forced contractual obligations on the game publishers to release console versions only or at least delay PC versions.

[x88x]

Interesting...I wonder what that's all about.

On the topic of the 'demise' of PC gaming, personally I think it's about to swing back the other way completely. Think about it. Today, most people have a computer of some sort. So there's a massive potential market that has already bought into the platform. Combine that with the ever increasing lead that hardware tech has been making over graphics requirements and the integration of more powerful GPU tech into entry-level systems (think AMD Fusion), and unless something major changes, I think soon we'll see standard, entry-level systems able to run all the latest games at settings to rival or crush consoles. When the barrier of entry is removed or lowered significantly, I think less and less people will be drawn to consoles. Hell, look at how smartphone gaming has taken off (granted, with a ridiculously high percentage of crap, but hey, what do you expect).

[Collinstheclown]

All 3 consoles are terrible in every way except upfront cost when compared to PC. The only thing the consoles have is forced contractual obligations on the game publishers to release console versions only or at least delay PC versions.

No easy access to hacking, everyone has the same hardware. Don't gimme that mouse+KB>controller thing, I use both and find either is good to use.

Since everyone has to pay (XBL) to play online I find there are FAR fewer trolls and people who sit AFK for no reason.

[mDust]

No easy access to hacking, everyone has the same hardware. Don't gimme that mouse+KB>controller thing, I use both and find either is good to use.

Since everyone has to pay (XBL) to play online I find there are FAR fewer trolls and people who sit AFK for no reason.

Why does everyone need the same hardware? You either meet minimum specs or you don't. I guess you missed that whole Sony incident? Anyone who feels like googling for a bit can hack PS3 games now. My keyboard has roughly 90+ more keys than your 360 controller and my mouse operates at a much higher resolution than does any console thumbstick. I can also macro if I so choose. Trolls and AFKers can be autokicked by a script in any decent PC server. BF2 servers that run admin scripts are clean and enjoyable. Also, I don't need to pay a monthly fee to enjoy them.

[x88x]

Since everyone has to pay (XBL) to play online I find there are FAR fewer trolls and people who sit AFK for no reason.
You know, funny thing about that...Microsoft tried making PC gamers pay to play online for a while (Microsoft Live anyone?)...it didn't work and they ended up making it free.


Trolls and AFKers can be autokicked by a script in any decent PC server. BF2 servers that run admin scripts are clean and enjoyable. Also, I don't need to pay a monthly fee to enjoy them.
This hints at another big difference with most (not all...I'm looking at you CoD:MW2 -_^ ) PC games. Usually people can run their own servers, and so have much more control over them to deal with trolls, hackers, etc. ...you know, if you care about multiplayer...which I don't... :whistler:

[diluzio91]

Since everyone has to pay (XBL) to play online I find there are FAR fewer trolls and people who sit AFK for no reason.

I find the exact opposite... Almost once a day someone threatens to kill my little brother, hunt him down, ect on XBL... The higher entry cost to pc gaming seems to clean out the dicks far more effectively than xbl subscription fees.

[CorsePerVita]

I find the exact opposite... Almost once a day someone threatens to kill my little brother, hunt him down, ect on XBL... The higher entry cost to pc gaming seems to clean out the dicks far more effectively than xbl subscription fees.

I find the same... LOTS of trolls on XBL. Shoot... anyone watch machinima vids? They ENJOY trolling and post it online. Hell... it's entertaining... but when you realize how some people react it's like wow... just a game ppl, don't take it so seriously.

I pretty much JUST play SC2 now online, I have so few friends who game anymore, trying to play games online xbl or on pc is just "Bleh" to me.

[xr4man]

i don't really like any of the online gaming. i prefer to have a single player game that i can enjoy for a long time by myself. if i had any friends close by that were gamers i would probably get into gaming at lan parties in a private environment.

also, i find extremely hard to justify spending $300 on a console, but have no issues with spending 2 or 3 times that much to build a computer, lol. i know, dumb huh?

[DemonDragonJ]

I myself have never played console games very much; for me, old DOS games, such as Commander Keen, Jazz Jackrabbit, and the original Duke Nukem, are the equivalent of such console games as Super Mario Bros. or The Legend of Zelda; I played them when I was young and they provided me with many hours of entertainment. The only game consoles that I ever owned were a GameBoy Pocket and GameBoy Advance that I bought (or had my parents give me as gifts) when they were first released in the United States, and while I did enjoy using them, they never replaced my personal computer as my main method of playing video games.

I prefer a personal computer for gaming because it can be easily upgraded and has many functions beyond gaming, while most consoles until recently were limited to only game-playing. Plus, it can even emulate consoles, eliminating the need to have the consoles physically and thus saving physical space. Therefore, I do definitely agree that desktop PC gaming shall never be "dead," although I do disagree that there was ever a decline or the possibility of it becoming obsolete.

However, I do believe that consoles have one advantage over desktop computers, currently; they can have multiple players playing a single game on a single machine. Most computer games still require two separate copies of a game on two separate machines for a multi-player experience, which can be impractical in certain situations. I believe that the makers of computer games need to implement multi-player support on a single machine, which I believe can be accomplished by usage of USB game controllers, which usually are not terribly expensive for purchase.

[diluzio91]

^ I can follow that logic. The only consoles I still own are, My game cube, mainly for 4 player mario cart, mario party, and smash bros, and my nintendo DS.... The only one that seems at all attractive to me out of the current crop is the 3ds now that the price has dropped, and thats just so I can use it to watch netflix while i'm at the gym. lol

[farlo]

i have a wii, buts its mostly for homebrew stuff. ive prefered pc gaming ever since my hit.

[blueonblack]

I only know of one advantage that consoles have over PCs. When you buy a console game you can take it home knowing it will work. No driver or hardware compatibility issues. That's worth something, but not enough.

I started with a Telstar Ranger, circa 1978. Went through the Atari 2600, the 5200, Colecovision, Odyssey, NES and N64. Then along came the PC and I never looked back. I had a Dreamcast for a while, strictly for Soul Caliber, because I loved the game, and I have a Wii now but it gets used for Netflix four times as much as it gets used for gaming.

How anyone can possibly say that a game controller can come anywhere close to the utility and comfort of even a basic keyboard and mouse is absolutely beyond me, let alone today's modern hardware with their ridiculous streams of built-in options.

Long live PC gaming.

[DemonDragonJ]

I only know of one advantage that consoles have over PCs. When you buy a console game you can take it home knowing it will work. No driver or hardware compatibility issues. That's worth something, but not enough.

I started with a Telstar Ranger, circa 1978. Went through the Atari 2600, the 5200, Colecovision, Odyssey, NES and N64. Then along came the PC and I never looked back. I had a Dreamcast for a while, strictly for Soul Caliber, because I loved the game, and I have a Wii now but it gets used for Netflix four times as much as it gets used for gaming.

How anyone can possibly say that a game controller can come anywhere close to the utility and comfort of even a basic keyboard and mouse is absolutely beyond me, let alone today's modern hardware with their ridiculous streams of built-in options.

Long live PC gaming.

I definitely agree with you completely, but what if a group of people wish to play the same game on a single computer? How can they use only a single mouse and keyboard? I definitely believe that computer games need to have a feature that allows them to recognize multiple input devices and display those inputs separately on the monitor, as do all video game consoles. Modern computers definitely have the processing power to handle multiple inputs.

[blueonblack]

I definitely agree with you completely, but what if a group of people wish to play the same game on a single computer? How can they use only a single mouse and keyboard? I definitely believe that computer games need to have a feature that allows them to recognize multiple input devices and display those inputs separately on the monitor, as do all video game consoles. Modern computers definitely have the processing power to handle multiple inputs.

Ok, granted, that's another advantage of the console. And also granted, this needs to be addressed in the PC, and likely will in the near future.

[Airbozo]

I definitely agree with you completely, but what if a group of people wish to play the same game on a single computer? How can they use only a single mouse and keyboard? I definitely believe that computer games need to have a feature that allows them to recognize multiple input devices and display those inputs separately on the monitor, as do all video game consoles. Modern computers definitely have the processing power to handle multiple inputs.

There are a few older games that allow you to play with 2 people on one computer (forget the names right now, but I can check if you like), but that was with both players using the keyboard or one keyboard and one controller (a game pad or joystick). To be honest it was not very easy with 2 people on the same keyboard. With USB devices it is possible to have more than one KB/Mouse setup. It is up to the game developers to include support for multiple players on one system though.

[xr4man]

with the massive power of today's video cards, i would think that game programmers could (once they get multiple input device code created) display each player's screen on a separate monitor as well. since power gamers all have more than 1 monitor anyway, right?

[farlo]

1 hour: 34 minutes to go http://www.pcgamingisnotdead.com/

[farlo]

thats actually a really nice looking laptop

[diluzio91]

it looks like a mac on the outside..... but with better utility, better thermals (zomg a vent, razer does love us) better design, cooler buttons, and better components, lets just hope that they bring it home around the $1500 price point, not the $2k price point... Otherwise it'll sell, but it wont be competitive really with other "gaming" laptops in the same form factor and price.

Edit: ouch... never mind... Its cool, but not $2800 cool... That razer oled screen isnt worth a $1000 markup over a sager, or even an alienware that has the same specs... Hopefully the price drops when retail time comes, because its a sweet looking machine, but with apple's pricing schemes, and without a low end/ entry model, i don't see people buying it in that kind of bulk...

[x88x]

Really Razer? That's your plan to 'save' PC gaming (if, in fact, it needed saving)? A new gaming laptop? Ok, granted, it's a nice laptop with a lot of power crammed into a small package...not sure I like the toushcreen thingy, but whatever. But for $2,800? I could buy 2 Asus G53SX-XN1 that would each outperform that (well, not quite as good a CPU, but the 2640M isn't actually out yet, so...) and still have $600 left over to, idk, buy games? :P Yeah, ok, it's 1.2" thicker and 1lb heavier...but sorry, that's not worth $1,600 to me.

Also, stop automatically resizing my window. What is this, 1995? It's annoying and it serves no purpose. Your site works just fine on smaller resolutions; I don't need it to take over my whole screen and screw up my window size. :mad:

[diluzio91]

So in other words... Good news? Razer made a cool gadget... Bad news? if the fate of gaming was up to razer we would all be boned...

[OvRiDe]

I think the point is that there are a ton of people that have opted for lesser capable laptops because of the portability factor. Mac books are usually lighter and more durable then your typical gaming laptop. Your typical lighter weight and more portable Windows based laptops are about as good for gaming as the Macbook Pro. So they just buy a console for their gaming needs and use the laptop for computing needs. I believe the idea here is that you can get a machine that is the best of both worlds. Will it sell? I have no idea, but there are plenty of folks out there that spend this kind of money on computers all the time, so who knows.

A 17" Macbook Pro starts at 2500

[diluzio91]

There are many people who want spend that kind of money on a computer, but most people who opt for console gaming cite the price of a gaming computer is the thing that deters them from it, While it's a cool laptop, and im sure that there will be buyers, the main problem that i see is that it doesn't alleviate the expense argument, in fact, for many it compounds it, because they will see this as a gaming laptop, look at the $2800 price tag, then go back and buy a $200 xbox. Many of the people who are worried about the price aspect of the gaming don't realize that 2.8K can build you a gaming desktop, buy a gaming laptop, and leave you with cash left over to buy games too... Thats my argument.

A hot pot that reaches the same temps as a macbook pro starts at 25.00