http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2010/05/16/epic-president-the-moneys-on-console/
Speaking to Edge this month, Epic president Mike Capps opens up about piracy, and why “the money’s on console”. In a frank and open interview on Unreal 4, Gears of War and Bulletstorm, Capps claims that “piracy’s already had its impact”.
“If you walked into [Epic's Offices] six years ago,” said Capps, “Epic was a PC company. We did one PS2 launch title, and everything else was PC. And now, people are saying ‘Why do you hate the PC? You’re a console-only company.’”
“And guess what?” he says, “It’s because the money’s on console.”
“We still do PC, we still love the PC, but we already saw the impact of piracy: it killed a lot of great independent developers and completely changed our business model.” Capps discusses the rise of free-to-play microtransaction based games, like Farmville, the “biggest game of all right now.”
“So, maybe Facebook will save PC gaming,” he concludes, “but it’s not going to look like Gears of War.”
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Eh. "“So, maybe Facebook will save PC gaming,” Funny.
CIV5 and Elemental would probably work just fine on consoles. Adjusting controls and UI for a TBS for a console version is probably easier than for a RTS. Shame that consoles never get TBSes with hotseat mode...
I don’t know why you’d think that the occasional exception is relevant (especially considering I stated that some genres still do ok).
They already kind of did that- they called it Civilization Revolution. But Firaxis still simplified the game a bit (whether that was due to UI/control concerns or intended market, I'll let you decide).
I only played the demo, but it was a pretty neat game.
I tried the CivRev demo for a few minutes and decided remove the crap. Later, when checking more details of the game mechanics and changes from previous Civs, i decided i had done well when i removed the demo right away.
Obama!!
wait ... wha-what? Mike Capps?
who is this nobody? He doesn't sound epic to me
As a whole, I would rather PC gaming had nothing to do with Farmville, and I would be interested to know the actual numbers of pirating crippling an industry.
I think one of the main reasons console games (on the PC) potentially "suffer" is because Console gamers and PC gamers have a LOT of overlap, and a lot of times people would rather buy such "closed-market" games on the console.
I mean, I am glad I have Assasins Creed(s) etc on Console ... but I prefer Morrowind and Oblivion on the PC.
It's interesting how independent developers pumping out great games on shoestring budget, like Braid, World of Goo, Machinarium and others, are thriving. Games that, unlike most of the production of the big names in the industry, can be considered true art. It's also interesting how these games provide genuinely interesting and FUN gameplay without reiterating the same concepts ad infinitum.
Speaking of independent developers (the bigger ones), Stardock isn't doing bad either. And their games are by far the best that could happen to the strategy genre in the last decade (disregarding wargames, which are a niche market). And the grand strategy titles from Paradox Interactive (EU, HOI) are great as well.
I won't even discuss wargames; these are made on an even tighter budget and some of them provide superb strategic gameplay that none of the mainstream titles can match. All the while sporting non-flashy 2D graphics.
You know, sometimes I think that if the big names in the industry actually lifted their behinds and went for consoles only, we would be better off. Suddenly, games wouldn't cost horrendous amounts of cash for titles with updated graphics, shitty cliche predictable stories and stereotypic gameplay, and would take longer than 8 hours to finish. Our gaming PCs would cost much less since we wouldn't need GPUs with the power requirements equivalent to the output of a small power plant (that need to be changed every two years), or CPUs with enough processing power to run a small, personal supercomputer.
And if the current independent titles are any indication, the enjoyment we would get out of a game would be much, much bigger.
When I saw "wargames" I immediately thought "tabletop wargame". Which then led me to "Warhammer 40,000". Suffice to say I was a bit off but still.
"I don't grin like a moron, I grin like a sociopath." | The cake is a lie.
Quite a bit I would say. Perhaps computer wargames would have been better.
I refuse to label GW products as tabletop wargames though, no matter how they try to sell it.
Geez, 40k is taking over this forum with it popping up in incidental conversations. A guy named Luckmann even has a purity seal for an avatar.
No way! PROOF!
Stop making crappy games and crappy console ports, and I will buy your games. If you insist on making weak unimaginative console ports, I won't.
The Emperor is our guiding light,a beacon of hope for humanity in a galaxy of darkness. As we serve him, he is our greatest servant. As we pray to him, his thoughts are only for us. And in the dark when the shadows threaten, the Emperor is with us, in spirit and in fact.
You want proof Whiskey? Look at the post above mine and tell me that isn't a purity seal below the guy's name.
Also Whiskey, didn't you have a "*Heresy! *BLAM*" section to your pseudo-signature once?
1. I noticed the proof. How amusing that I demand proof and get a post from Luckmann.
2. Yes, I did have "HERESY! *BLAM*" after "The cake is a lie." at one point. I decided that I would go with "The cake is a lie." and the grinning thing.
"I don't grin like a moron, I grin like a sociopath." | The cake is a lie. | HERESY! *BLAM* | FOR THE EMPEROR!
FOR THE EMPEROR!
Love the Emperor,for He is the salvation of mankind.Obey His words,for He will lead you into the light of the future.Heed his wisdom,for He will protect you from evil.Whisper his prayers with devotion,for they will salve your soul.Honour His servants,for they speak in His voice.Tremble before His majesty,for we all walk in His immortal shadow.
No, you have it backwards. Piracy forced the hand of developers; it was no longer feasible to make PC exclusives, so now we get multi-platform games, which on a PC, feel little better than a port. Mainstream piracy came first, dumbed-down console ports second.
There's one thing I think you really forget about UT3 though- the modding, which combined with Epic's recent release of the UDK, has allowed tons of awesome highly original and I would say AAA-quality UT3 mods to go indie.
THAT is probably the best thing Epic has ever done for PC gaming. Releasing UT3, and then releasing UDK. All those great UT3 mods are becoming great UDK games, thus bringing more awesomeness to the PC.
Actual UT3 gameplay, well, I'd probably ahve to agree with you there. Not particularly imaginative. Some of the weapons are interesting twists/takes on their predecessors (the Stinger is a minigun whatsit), but overall it was pretty, had fairly stunning models/textures, but lacked that excellent and key ingredient we call GOOD GAMEPLAY.
DEATH TO THE FALSE EMPEROR! The Dark Prince demands it; and I shall be rewarded with eternal pleasure for my service.
The Eye of Terror Joy shall be your eternal Doom Salvation
Indeed. I just need to make my way to one of those daemon worlds Slaanesh has justly claimed as his own.
Brighthammer 40k: In the Noble Brightness of the 41st millennium, there is only HIGH ADVENTURE!
Double Post.
Yeah, I started to feel this way lately too. Everyone is worried that PC games are going away but getting rid of these pretty, simplified and regurated games would leave more room for the small guys which are doing more interesting things. Big business just doesn't produce good games (with some exceptions I'm sure). They make games that are safe and have appeal over a wide range of demographics which basically means the game is pretty, simple, straightforward and familiar in most cases. This just isn't what I am looking for. I need some complication or some inovation. Most games now have lost something very important in my opinion -> a creator who really loves games. Once they start worrying about the best way to maximize profits the games suffer greatly. Unfortunately people buy these games though so they will keep being made. That's why I think it might be best if they just went away. Seems weird to want to see this but I have a feeling it would actually be good for PC gaming in the long run.
What a sad bunch of excuses. You have some of the best names in pc gaming leaving for consoles because people steal and you sad bunch of fools bash them relentlessly.
I'm not surprised they are leaving.
Unreal Tournament was THE online game in the early millenium, well it and Quake 3. Speaking of Quake 3, John Carmack is moving towards consoles and I remember pc fanboys bashing him for that too...
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