Why PC Games Release After Consoles According to Capcom

[PeteOdeath]

Lulz ...that statement told us exactly nil.

[akira675]

We develop simultaneously for all platforms. Its much faster to run the game on the PC your developing on than deploy to a console. However the PC gets zero focus and this is dictated by our publisher. They don't want a PC version (Piracy / Poor sales.. all the usual complaints.) until the PS3/360 ship, so we don't focus on it. The 6 month delay for PC comes from having a reduced team (1-2 people, everyone else moves on.) optimizing the PC build and integrating the GFWL/Steam SDK, things that didn't happen during development as the PC is not our "lead sku." Because such a reduced team works on it, (no artists) it really is just the PS3/360 version with controls remapped.

The publishers dictate the terms, we develop to that tune. Hence why a lot of Indie games have simultaneous releases on mutliple/obscure (mac/linux) platforms. They generally set their own terms.

[Bluefire]

Did the PR department actually read what he said ?... He may as well have just said dont bother buying any of our pc games, just import pirate copy console games from china like all the console gamers do and just use an emulator to run it on pc. Both versions are the same we just rebind some stuff, remove the auto aim, auto turn and ps3/360 logo wack a pc logo on it and ship it out.

[Edward]

All I got to say is, I don't want a console port. I want a PC game, maybe a PC version of the game, re-imagined version for the PC audience. Then I'd be happy with a delay - not just for a crappy port that doesn't play well and looks like its from 2009.

Or better yet why not make the game for PC and then make the dumbed down console version from that?

[caitsith01]

Make huge textures to start with, then scale them down to fit console.

I never understand why they don't do this. The number of PC ports which are ruined by this alone is ridiculous.

[tacitus42]

I figure console sales are bigger. Bigger audience gets bigger priority.
Consoles offer simplicity: put your game disk in and play.
No muddling about with drivers or anything else.
Gaming as an entertainment medium is getting bigger, consoles sell better because of families and regular consumers.
So devs dev for consoles. simple.

We can complain about it but unless PC gaming gets a whole lot simpler for the regular person to use it ain't gonna change.
I'm just glad they still make games for PC at all. Games look a ton better on PC and some even play better like FPS or RTS.

[Drakand]

I figure console sales are bigger. Bigger audience gets bigger priority.
Consoles offer simplicity: put your game disk in and play.
No muddling about with drivers or anything else.
Gaming as an entertainment medium is getting bigger, consoles sell better because of families and regular consumers.
So devs dev for consoles. simple.

We can complain about it but unless PC gaming gets a whole lot simpler for the regular person to use it ain't gonna change.
I'm just glad they still make games for PC at all. Games look a ton better on PC and some even play better like FPS or RTS.

+1

[caitsith01]

No muddling about with drivers or anything else.

unless PC gaming gets a whole lot simpler for the regular person to use

This again.

Seriously: Get a PC built using half-decent brand name components. Windows 7. Internet connection. Games not coded by criminally insane Uzbekistani chimpanzees. You will not have driver problems/CTD/whatever. Games will work fine.

This myth needs to die. I have had more problems from my PS3 than my PC in the last 3 years.

[tacitus42]

No muddling about with drivers or anything else.

unless PC gaming gets a whole lot simpler for the regular person to use

This again.

Seriously: Get a PC built using half-decent brand name components. Windows 7. Internet connection. Games not coded by criminally insane Uzbekistani chimpanzees. You will not have driver problems/CTD/whatever. Games will work fine.

This myth needs to die. I have had more problems from my PS3 than my PC in the last 3 years.

Think of this, then. A regular joe wants to game on a PC instead of his Xbox. He doesn't know how to build a computer, doesn't know where to shop. He has to install OS, drivers for each component, install the games, set each game's graphical settings to suit his hardware. And he can't sit on his couch with his girlfriend and game.
Consoles simply have none of these complications. Now that isn't to say that it isnt worth the effort, i've been a PC gamer since my commodore 64 and PC gaming has remained superior in every way except accessibility for the average person.

Average person = money.
What do businesses do? Go after the money.
PC gaming in the past only flourished due to gaming exclusivity, now that there is competition, it has to mould itself to the everyday consumer in order to remain as a business.

[Jez]

No muddling about with drivers or anything else.

unless PC gaming gets a whole lot simpler for the regular person to use

This again.

Seriously: Get a PC built using half-decent brand name components. Windows 7. Internet connection. Games not coded by criminally insane Uzbekistani chimpanzees. You will not have driver problems/CTD/whatever. Games will work fine.

This myth needs to die. I have had more problems from my PS3 than my PC in the last 3 years.

I find the argument pretty flawed as well. But it seems some people honestly prefer just using a warranty/buying a new console to maintaining a PC.

[TRB]

No muddling about with drivers or anything else.

unless PC gaming gets a whole lot simpler for the regular person to use

This again.

Seriously: Get a PC built using half-decent brand name components. Windows 7. Internet connection. Games not coded by criminally insane Uzbekistani chimpanzees. You will not have driver problems/CTD/whatever. Games will work fine.

This myth needs to die. I have had more problems from my PS3 than my PC in the last 3 years.

I find the argument pretty flawed as well. But it seems some people honestly prefer just using a warranty/buying a new console to maintaining a PC.

I often say its simple things for simple people.

[tacitus42]

it seems some people honestly prefer just using a warranty/buying a new console to maintaining a PC.

That has to be the best part about having a gaming PC: maintaining it. Upgrading to make newer games look and run incredible is actually quite cheap compared to consoles.

[ungstein]

Consoles should have become extinct within the last decade. The graphics are fail, the controllers are fail, the price is epic fail. I've had my say.

[caitsith01]

Think of this, then. A regular joe wants to game on a PC instead of his Xbox. He doesn't know how to build a computer, doesn't know where to shop.

He doesn't have to build a computer, and if he can't find a shop that sells computers how can he find a shop that sells consoles (or breathe, for that matter)?

He has to install OS

No. Even for a custom build most shops will do this for you.

drivers for each component

No. My last Win 7 install, I had to install two drivers manually. One for the network. The second for the video card. Windows found the rest automatically as soon as the network was up.

install the games

No different from a console.

set each game's graphical settings to suit his hardware

Most games have modest defaults or an auto-tune.

And he can't sit on his couch with his girlfriend and game.

This guy doesn't sound like he has a house, and definitely doesn't sound like he has a girlfriend. He might have a couch.

Look, I accept that the non-standardised nature of PC gaming makes it more complex than plugging in a NES cartridge. But since DirectX and Win 7, and since the hardware market became somewhat consolidated (basically choose between about 10 manufacturers and two main platforms) it really isn't as hard as people make it out to be. OTOH, my PS3 is constantly whining about signing in to things, updating system software, updating game software and the like, the optical drive is starting to play up and I can't replace it, etc.

[Matty]

No muddling about with drivers or anything else.

unless PC gaming gets a whole lot simpler for the regular person to use

This again.

Seriously: Get a PC built using half-decent brand name components. Windows 7. Internet connection. Games not coded by criminally insane Uzbekistani chimpanzees. You will not have driver problems/CTD/whatever. Games will work fine.

This myth needs to die. I have had more problems from my PS3 than my PC in the last 3 years.

Casual gamers aren't going to go out and buy a PC dedicated to play games on.
Most of them would not even know what "half - decent" parts would consist of.