PC as a gaming platform may not be dying but in shops...

Loosecannon

Loosecannon

Loosecannon

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Was in Wakefield today and normally there are 4 places to buy PC games.

Game
Gamestation
CEX
HMV

Blockbuster doesn't sell PC games

Gamestation now only stocks the top 10 games.
Game has a section about 4 foot wide with new ish games on.
HMV - no longer stocks PC games.
CEX as usual.


Is this a common trend in all stores? I know that most sensible people buy games from steam, or online now, but it seems the area given in shops is drastically reduced to the point of being worthless...
 
It's a smaller % of sales compared to console games but I think it's just hassle for the shop if people try to return a game and may have used the CD-key or people taking them back saying it won't run on their system even though they meet the min. requirements. That kind of thing really.
 
Units sold.

I remember when places like BOOTS and WH SMITHS used to sell computer games. That's all ancient history.

IMO Pirates are smashing the whole industry to pieces (would you develop on PC as oppose to consoles - bearing in mind your work will probably be stolen by most ..?), although digital downloads are also causing mayhem in the PC retail sector ...

There is a seperate line of thought which is the 'pulse' theory. This states that for a few years after the latest generation of console are out, PC's suffer as the consoles look as good as them. But then as consoles look more and more dated compared to the latest PCs, PC's software and industry recovers. Kind of a cycle .. and for the last year or two we've been at the 'bottom' of the PC cycle -- from now the only way it up as PS3's arn't getting any faster!
 
britboy4321 said:
Units sold.

I remember when places like BOOTS and WH SMITHS used to sell computer games. That's all ancient history.

IMO Pirates are smashing the whole industry to pieces (would you develop on PC as oppose to consoles - bearing in mind your work will probably be stolen by most ..?), although digital downloads are also causing mayhem in the PC retail sector ...

There is a seperate line of thought which is the 'pulse' theory. This states that for a few years after the latest generation of console are out, PC's suffer as the consoles look as good as them. But then as consoles look more and more dated compared to the latest PCs, PC's software and industry recovers. Kind of a cycle .. and for the last year or two we've been at the 'bottom' of the PC cycle -- from now the only way it up as PS3's arn't getting any faster!
Click to expand...

boots actually sold pc games? my gosh i never knew that lol
 
If you have a gaming pc, then you have internet access. If you have internet access buying games via shops becomes a once in a while thing - preorders & purchases online, or downloads take up most of the slack.

If they don't sell much, the space allocated gets reduced. It doesn't imply anything about the validity of the format, just the access that format provides really.
 
Why would anyone want to own a Disc? Steam wins! and thats where the majority of pc games are bought nowadays.

Simple as that
 
britboy4321 said:
IMO Pirates are smashing the whole industry to pieces (would you develop on PC as oppose to consoles - bearing in mind your work will probably be stolen by most ..?), although digital downloads are also causing mayhem in the PC retail sector ...
Click to expand...

Oh give it a rest.

Online shops, Digital Downloads, that sort of thing. So much more available to the PC user and thats where the best deals come from. The smart PC user shops around for a good deal or gets a digital copy. HMV, Game, Blockbuster, all overpriced usually for everything.
 
stoke1863 said:
Why would anyone want to own a Disc? Steam wins! and thats where the majority of pc games are bought nowadays.

Simple as that
Click to expand...

Resale value? I sold some of my games for more money than I originally paid for them because they were complete in the original box.

Things like baldurs gate and gta4 where you get extras in the box like maps and a proper manual you can refer to during the game.

I notice the coop have stopped selling pc games now which is a shame as I sometimes used to lob one in with the shopping.

Also on price, high street shops can be cheaper. Right from the start Asda was selling GTA4 for the PC for £9.99 when even now on Steam you can't buy it for that price.

2nd hand ones were selling for £20+ on Ebay at the time and I has half tempted to buy 20 and sell them on but I couldn't be bothered tbh.
 
Haven't bought a PC game in a shop for about 5 years. And I've only just started using Steam (As it's normally expensive and I like the physical product) No reason to buy in shops when all the online retailers are so much cheaper.
 
I went in to town the day after DiRT2 was released and couldn't find it anywhere. Useless. Tried every games shop in the centre of Leeds - both games, GameStation etc. etc.

It irks me that PC games are disappearing but when they are so easy to buy online I don't really mind.
 
I dont buy games from the high street anymore, unless its a case of when we are doing the weekly shop they have a special offer on or something.

Today from a large internet retailer I've bought

Wet (xbox 360) £12
Ninja Gaiden sigma 2 (Ps3) £24.99
Fifa 10 (ps3) £24.99
Bayonetta (Ps3) Pre order £34.99

If I had bought those from large electrical shop I got our new fridge freezer from today, I would be nearly £50 down (assuming bayonetta as a new title would attract the usual rape rate pricing of £44.99)

And those prices are the same in gamestation, and game.
They are a rip off really, their second hand titles cost more than you can buy the game new in some cases.
 
Its simply the case of too much differing specs. You cannot take back a console game and claim it isnt compatible with that console (Unless you are stupid and have bought an XBox game for a wii etc). Game still have an OK selection in, but they will never shift as many since PC gamers are more mature gamers (age wise anyway!) its mostly kids who own consoles and they want the game NOW!
 
britboy4321 said:
There is a seperate line of thought which is the 'pulse' theory. This states that for a few years after the latest generation of console are out, PC's suffer as the consoles look as good as them. But then as consoles look more and more dated compared to the latest PCs, PC's software and industry recovers. Kind of a cycle .. and for the last year or two we've been at the 'bottom' of the PC cycle -- from now the only way it up as PS3's arn't getting any faster!
Click to expand...

Nice theory which was probably true in the past (things like 3d acceleration, broadband internet etc really driving the PC forward) but nowadays I don't think people are sitting there going "wow, if I want the latest and best tech I NEED to get a PC!). The fact is the current gen of consoles in hardware terms have been off the pace for a couple of years now, but that's not incentive enough for people to lay out the cash on one. The USPs like online gaming are gone now.
 
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