Avalanche: Skipping PC “because of piracy” is “just giving in”

I like game devs that respect and like their fan base.I agree with this comment. They tend to be the best pc game devs any way and for a long time now.

I like game devs that jump on hot topics and take the favourable side in points of contentions so people that are naive enough think that they actually like and respect their fan base.

Yeah, I think the fact that Crytek, EPIC and Valve have all moved to console development (and for the latter two at least, it has become their primary source of revenue) speaks volumes.

I’m also not sure how it’s ‘giving in’, when the pirate wouldn’t actually have a PC version to either play or copy???

Oh, and as a precursor to anyone wishing to mention Steam – that’s a largely break-even service. Much like the AppStore.

It’s hard to compete with free. I think it’s fair to ‘give in’ until a ‘smart solution’ can be found.

@3 “moved to”. Stretching things a little. “No-brainer ports” would be more accurate.

He makes a fair point on PC v Console – makes financial sense. “smart solutions” though will require a consensus and pooling of money and brains to make that happen. I’m just not sure there is enough desire from the publishing community to make this happen.

Strangely, the whole industry could have to rely on a smart guy in a shed turning gamekeeper from poacher in having the desire required to come up with a solution.

It’s the tiny game developers that piracy affects more. As was shown in the BBC program panorama about piracy, it actually increases sales, due to people trying before they buy. If games are made well, they usually succeed and sales reflect this. Piracy is just an excuse to moan that they didn’t make more profits.

@5 – “No-brainer ports”

Mmm. Pretty sure Gears is built to be a console game first and foremost. As is Shadow Complex.

Crytek are also leading development on console this time around and porting to PC.

@3 and @8

Just curious – how do you know Steam is break even? I doubt it is but if you have some actual proof then I’d perhaps take that seriously. On the same topic what are you basing Valve getting more revenue from consoles from? L4D has sold well on 360 but Orange Box clearly sold more on PC and Valve have noted L4D also sold extremely well on PC.

Also, Crytek have stated they built the new engine to allow near enough simultaneous PC/console development and have teams on each and intend to push PC as always – again, I think you are in error saying they are ‘leading’ on console.

There is no doubt consoles shift a lot of SW and in US and UK in particular a lot of gamers who would formerly have focused on PC have shifted to console, but your claims on Steam and Crytek don’t seem accurate to me.

If I’m wrong then I’d like to know, but I’ve never seen anything in articles, etc. that would support what you’ve stated.

i feel so sorry for those 11 000 and counting consoles game devs that have lost their jobs over them consoles.

I hope they realised that xbox360 has some piracy issue too…

@9
I’m curious, how do you know the ‘Orange Box clearly sold more on PC’? Or are you just assuming.

Is piracy really that widespread? I don’t know anyone who pirates games. Maybe one or two who wants a demo, but even those guys still buy the games they actually like. I remember it being way worse when I was in school.

Skipping PC, it is smart. Because:
1. it is better for other platforms
2. PC port in 90% it is loss and fail

PS Just Cause 2 is mediocre game, but Christofer Sundberg not skipping PC