Microsoft’s closure of Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin and Alpha Dog Studios (with Roundhouse Studios folded into ZeniMax Online Studios) proved shocking for the industry, especially after its layoffs earlier this year. While it has plenty to look forward to, including the next Call of Duty, it’s reportedly debating whether it – and future releases in the series – should go to Game Pass.
Without Consoles, PC Gaming Would Be Much Worse
27.04.2024 - 19:21 / howtogeek.com / Sydney Butler
PC gamers may often express a disdain for gaming consoles, but the truth is that PC gaming benefits significantly from the existence of consoles in numerous ways. So next time you're dismissive of consoles, here's a reminder of what they've done for us.
Console Games Drive Development
Like it or not, when it comes to mainstream hardcore gaming, consoles are by far the most popular hardware platform. For a studio to put millions or even hundreds of millions into developing the next amazing video game, there needs to be a large-enough market to pay for it. If the only gaming platform out there was PC, then that market would be significantly smaller, which in turn would have an effect on the variety and quality of games that are created.
Consoles Create Reasonable Game Requirements
The current console generation effectively sets the minimum requirements for all new games. As I write this, that minimum requirement is the Xbox Series S, which all games released for Xbox must work on with playable performance. If there were no consoles, developers might not be incentivized to make their games scalable. If you look at what sort of computer the average PC gamer has, this might lead to a situation where most people can't get a good experience. Thanks to consoles, developers have to create games that will run on less than a thousand dollars' worth of hardware.
Consoles Encourage Game Optimization and Innovation
If a game developed solely for PC doesn't make great use of the hardware, you always have the option of upgrading the hardware and overcoming those inefficiencies using brute force. Consoles, on the other hand, are a fixed hardware platform. This forces developers to optimize their games until they reach at least a minimum playable state on that hardware platform.
Sometimes to make this work, entire new techniques are invented. Think about methods such as Variable Rate Shading, dynamic resolution, asset streaming due to limited unified memory, upscaling methods such as TAA or checkerboarding, technologies like DirectStorage, and the list goes on. Now that consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series systems are essentially specialized PCs, any optimization methods developed to get more out of them will benefit PC games more directly. Working within limitations breeds innovation, and I really believe there would be much less of it on PC if consoles did not exist.
Controller Gaming Is Better on PC Thanks to Consoles
While I love playing games with a mouse and keyboard, some types of game simply aren't suited to it. In my case, if it's a third-person action game, a 2D sidescroller, a racing game, or really anything that's not an RTS or FPS title, I'm reaching for a controller on PC.
The website gametalkz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Authors
Popular Topics
gamingbolt.com
08.05.2024 / 20:33
Game Subscription Spending Has Only Gone Up By 1 Percent Over the Last Year – Analyst
Video game industry analyst Mat Piscatella has revealed that growth for video game subscriptions has been stalled. According to Piscatella, spending on non-mobile game subscriptions only rose by 1 percent compared to April 2023.
gematsu.com
07.05.2024 / 16:31
Intergalactic hospital management game Galacticare launches May 23 for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC
Intergalactic hospital management game Galacticare will launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG on May 23, publisher CULT Games and developer Brightrock Games announced.
gematsu.com
07.05.2024 / 13:49
Bethesda Softworks to close Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog Games, and Roundhouse Studios
Bethesda Softworks will close Redfall developer Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi RUSH and The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks, as well as Alpha Dog Games and Roundhouse Studios, according to a companywide email sent out by Microsoft Gaming president of game content and studios Matt Booty this morning.
tech.hindustantimes.com
04.05.2024 / 04:35
GTA 6 price: How much will the next Grand Theft Auto game cost?
Ever since the GTA 6 trailer was released, fans have been speculating about various aspects of the game. Courtesy of leaks, we already knew that GTA 6 was based in Vice City, and the game's trailer confirmed that it will indeed feature Miami-inspired Leonida at the centre. It is also reported to heavily focus on the improvement of gameplay mechanics, while some Red Dead Redemption 2 features might also make an appearance. Since it is the first GTA title in over 10 years, the developer is rumoured to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on the game, but could that also mean a price hike for gamers?
gamerant.com
04.05.2024 / 01:55
Stardew Valley Fan Shows What the Game Would Look Like From an Isometric Perspective
A talented Stardew Valley fan has recreated the game's iconic style in isometric view. This unique look at Stardew Valley gives fans an idea of how the game could have looked with a different perspective.
gamerant.com
02.05.2024 / 20:40
Xbox Consoles Getting 2 Helpful New Features
After a round of improvements, Xbox Cloud Gaming and console users will soon be able to manage their save files on the go and manage more than one Wi-Fi network in the OS settings. The changes are now available for Xbox Insiders to test on compatible Xbox Cloud Gaming devices and Xbox Series X/S, with a general release to the public likely happening after a short testing window.
videogameschronicle.com
01.05.2024 / 02:15
New Xbox Game Pass titles for console, PC and Cloud have been announced
Microsoft has revealed the next batch of titles coming to Xbox Game Pass for console, PC and Xbox Cloud Gaming.
rockpapershotgun.com
30.04.2024 / 22:35
Here are the new Game Pass library additions for May 2024
A new batch of games have been announced for Game Pass in May, including five that are playable on PC. There are siblings, felines, reapers, and a Croft. I'm struggling to identify a theme.
howtogeek.com
30.04.2024 / 17:07
Forget Picking Between Controller or Mouse for PC Gaming, Use Both and Never Look Back
The "Why Not Both?" meme is more than a little overused when it comes to decisions between two good things, but it's the perfect answer to the question of whether you should use a controller or a mouse to play your favorite games.
howtogeek.com
30.04.2024 / 17:07
How to Hide Games from your Steam Family Sharing List
Depending on when you read this, Steam Family sharing is either in beta or finally released to the public. Either way, if you're going to share your Steam library with family members after years of building your library, you might want to limit which games they can actually see!
gematsu.com
30.04.2024 / 15:41
Xbox Game Pass adds Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Kona II: Brume, Little Kitty, Big City, and more in early May
Microsoft has announced new titles coming to Xbox Game Pass in early May, which includes Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Kona II: Brume, Little Kitty, Big City, and more.