Just recently, forumite cw8 brought up a recent Gamespot podcast called Hotspot. Next to the usual post-E3 pillow talk, the podcast speakers quipped about PC gaming and how it’s being downplayed. Needless to say, this got cw8 and a bunch of other PC connoisseurs in a huff. Personally, I would too, but let’s take this step by step, shall we?

- The podcast’s analysis on PC gaming was too brief to even warrant mention or criticism; a podcast equivalent of a drive-by if you want to call a spade a spade. In the future, if they wish to highlight the “PC Gamers v. The World” bit as a discussion point, stretch it out longer than 5 minutes, dammit. This is why I miss Jeff Green (i.e: that guy who did CGW whom I saw at E3 at his EA booth pimping MySims Agent) and his GFW podcasting crew: they bring PC gaming talk to an intellectual light. For the record, I couldn’t say “hi” to him as I was busy doing coverage both for the mag and for this blog.

- As cw8 pointed out on his Gamespot post, you can definitely build a cheap powerful rig that’ll last for a long while. But that’s only if you have like-minded friends who frequent Low Yat/ Sim Lim on a daily basis. For those who have jobs and don’t really have time to check specs and PC parts lists, to troll around forums for advice and check out the perfect rig list, they would probably take the easy way out and just get a console, plug that bad boy in, and commence play. Also take into account that parts here and in Malaysia are dirt cheap as compared to shopping in the States. As it is human nature to take the easy way out, you can now see why people lean towards consoles rather than PC gaming.

- PC is now a breeding ground for MMOs, commercial “free” games like Sudden Attack, and an RTS or two like Dawn of War II and the upcoming Starcraft II. Relics like DOTA and Counterstrike still persist like cockroaches and with good reason: any computer of today can run either one of these games and play freely to their heart’s content. That’s not a bad thing at all: good MMOs are making a lot more money than the entire SPH editorial staff’s income combined, not to mention a good way to getting people on the PC on the long term thanks to MMO games’ social aspect. Some of the free and casual games I’ve played are good, with Plants Vs. Zombies being my current favourite so far.

- Remember that unlike the rest of the world, piracy is still large in South-East Asia, THAT’S why PC gaming is still relevant here. Whether it’s from torrenting to, er, okay, it’s ALL from torrenting and games being cracked and installed straight onto your computer. It’s pretty easy for everyone, even those below 15 who think that it’s legitimate, to do this.

Recently at E3, Crysis is said to be ported to consoles and would probably be just as good-looking as its PC counterpart. To rewind back in 1997, the PS1 sure as hell wouldn’t surpass PC graphics, but we’re now in the age where it’s possible. What I’m saying here is that as time goes by, gaming is evolving for the masses, not just for you. I was a Sega loyalist too, but I eventually had to let go of my love for the blue hedgehog when he jumped the shark at Sonic Adventures (technically, he was chased after a killer whale, but you get the point).
Right now, console gaming seems to be the major focus for all developers and publishers: look at E3 2009 for further proof. At best, the majority of PC games you see over there is multiplatform.

- Having said all that, I do have one crackpot theory which could revitalize the PC gaming genre to what it was back then: flight simulation games. Something like a new X-Wing Vs. TIE Fighter or Freelancer could hit the spot. Hell, “4-Ex” games like Sins of A Solar Empire are tailor-made to be on the PC. Developers stuck doing games for the PC, just work your magic on those two genres and you’ll definitely give PC gamers something to brag about.