Will the PC ultimately win the console war?

ScumLord

The PC has long tried to be the jack of all trades, it could easily be credited with allot of the new technology we have today like gaming consoles, hard drive players, mp3 players, the internet and much much more but has had problems carrying off these things without being overly complicated or too expensive.

Things are slowly changing and win7 makes the PC a great all rounder. With people becoming more computer literate, OS's becoming easier to use and computer parts becoming smaller, cheaper and more powerful the PC is becoming a more and more commonplace appliance in the home, probably even more so than all the consoles put together. Is it only a matter of time before it pushes out the consoles?

This isn't what any company would like, it's much more profitable to have a number of appliances doing separate tasks than one doing many. But as the PCis so open ended it often forces markets in ways that don't suit profitability.

happydayz182

I dont see pc gaming booming tbh like if friends come over i wouldnt sit them in front of a monitor for fifa or other multiplayer games.

Think the current gen is great its lasting well and people like to have a game console in the living room etc just fr the social aspect even like it does what its supposed to do play games .

The pc is the master jack of all trades but not every pc excels and by the time the budget pcs can play xbox 360 or ps3 level games therel probally be a new wave of consoles

i see your point but even game companys would rather produce for the consoles piracy is rampant on pc

smithy1981

happydayz182 wrote: »

I dont see pc gaming booming tbh like if friends come over i wouldnt sit them in front of a monitor for fifa or other multiplayer games.

Think the current gen is great its lasting well and people like to have a game console in the living room etc just fr the social aspect even like it does what its supposed to do play games .

The pc is the master jack of all trades but not every pc excels and by the time the budget pcs can play xbox 360 or ps3 level games therel probally be a new wave of consoles

i see your point but even game companys would rather produce for the consoles piracy is rampant on pc

I just hook up my pc to the tele when friends call around. Throw in a few xbox pads and we're set.

And i reckon a budget gaming pc can already play ps3 and xbox "level" games. The latters hardware being quite a few years old now. Have a look over at the building and upgrading forum and check out the budget gaming pc sticky.

Blowfish

happydayz182 wrote: »

The pc is the master jack of all trades but not every pc excels and by the time the budget pcs can play xbox 360 or ps3 level games therel probally be a new wave of consoles

Most ps3 and 360 games run natively at 720p. Budget pc's have absolutely no problem running modern games at that resolution.

PogMoThoin

happydayz182 wrote: »

i see your point but even game companys would rather produce for the consoles piracy is rampant on pc

Its also just as rampant on consoles, but the market is bigger

gizmo

PCs will never win the console war because PCs aren't consoles. Not to be pedantic or anything but that is the reality of it. There will always be a market for a fixed hardware unit which can just sit there and play games with minimal fuss.

This was actually discussed in another thread for quite some time and I think the general consensus was we'll see consoles becoming more PC like rather than vice versa. That being said, as I mentioned above, it's the fact that you can buy a piece of hardware which is guaranteed to play games for a certain period of time at the same level of quality as everyone else who bought it which will ensure there will always be a market for consoles.

Overheal

The PC is never in a console war. It floats above it. Like a boat over a pond of angry fish attacking angry turtles attacking angry pond scum.

Liber8or

Nothing will ever come close to the superiority of a mouse and keyboard. While PCs utilise them with games, PCs will remain the dominant force for gaming.
I have used PCs all my life for gaming, but having entered college last year, I couldn't afford to keep up with the changes with technology and the expense that came with it. So, I bought myself an Xbox and settled with that.

Anyone who tries to argue that MW2 is better on console (either console) is an idiot and does not understand the capabilities available to the user on a PC. Disregarding the controls, the graphics, choice and options available to a PC gamer is far more substantial over that of a console gamer.

Nevertheless, we all know there are flaws in PC games - bugs, driver issues, support, cheating in online games, etc. But, these small details can be overcome by user experience. If you know how to use a PC effectively, troubleshoot and utilise everything a PC has to offer, one can enjoy a far more superior experience than on a PS3/Wii/Xbox.

Consoles dumb things down for gamers, take advantage of those who are unable or unwilling to learn how to use a PC and enjoy what it has to offer. They are, essentially, a by-product of what gaming on the PC is, in a cheaper and more simpler way.

I know, once I leave college and get a job I will be returning to the PC for most of my gaming while only dipping into my Xbox for those exclusives - nothing more than that.

Maximilian

Actually, if this Cloud Gaming thing actually works, it will end up winning out in the end I think.

I think PC's will always have a place though.

Cunny-Funt

happydayz182 wrote: »

by the time the budget pcs can play xbox 360 or ps3 level games therel probally be a new wave of consoles

lol budget pc's kick the ****e out of the consoles. PC hardware is very cheap these days.

RolandIRL

of course the pc will win. i've an xbox 360 and pc. though my pc is old, my video card is an nVidia GeForce 2, most games i play work on it.
another advantage of the pc is strategy games like supreme commander or star wars empire at war. the experience of these games on a console is nothing compared to on a pc. i bought supreme commander for xbox and it was just so slow when loads of units battling. got it off a friend for my laptop running win7... seamless.
besides most strategy games aren't available on ps3 or xbox

hooradiation

ScumLord wrote: »

The PC has long tried to be the jack of all trades, it could easily be credited with allot of the new technology we have today like gaming consoles, hard drive players, mp3 players, the internet and much much more but has had problems carrying off these things without being overly complicated or too expensive.

Things are slowly changing and win7 makes the PC a great all rounder. With people becoming more computer literate, OS's becoming easier to use and computer parts becoming smaller, cheaper and more powerful the PC is becoming a more and more commonplace appliance in the home, probably even more so than all the consoles put together. Is it only a matter of time before it pushes out the consoles?

This isn't what any company would like, it's much more profitable to have a number of appliances doing separate tasks than one doing many. But as the PCis so open ended it often forces markets in ways that don't suit profitability.

No, never happening. Ever.

The PC market is currently very niche and PC owners have done a fantastic job of keeping it that way by pirating like nobodies business.

Consoles are easier to develop for, the piracy is far less of an issue (with the exception of perhaps the DS), and more to the point they are something that people can just pick up, hook into another familiar piece of technology (the TV) and play with and thats something that the PC can never be.

And now we can get back to PC owning elitists frenzying about how the PC is better than everything and if everyone just realised it what a wonderfully dull world it'd be.

wayne040576

Cunny-Funt wrote: »

lol budget pc's kick the ****e out of the consoles. PC hardware is very cheap these days.

If you have a multi core cpu that's under say 18 months (maybe older) and something like an 8800GT, I think you're pretty much on par if not better than the ps3 and xbox. A machine with both should be fairly cheap now.

I have all platforms. I stick to the pc for most fps and strategy games, prefer the control pads on third person games and platformers so I use the consoles for them. With all the sales on pc games lately, I've been playing a lot more of them although I've played Demons' souls (my game of the year) more than anything else.

Overheal

wayne040576 wrote: »

If you have a multi core cpu that's under say 18 months (maybe older) and something like an 8800GT, I think you're pretty much on par if not better than the ps3 and xbox. A machine with both should be fairly cheap now.

Try 49 Months and 61 months, respectively. Thats how old the hardware is for these two consoles. While there have been new batches and a couple tweaks to the setup, the games are still fashioned around the baseline.

Almost any PC made in the last 24 months with in any way decent card is plenty capable of running circles around either console.

Azza

PogMothoin wrote:

Its also just as rampant on consoles, but the market is bigger

For those that say console piracy is just as rampant as PC piracy they should look at the numbers posted by torrent freaks recently.

http://www.shacknews.com/onearticle.x/61765

Which found that while piracy on consoles like the Xbox 360 and Wii was significant, on average piracy on PC games was 3 times higher. Which in turn is totally outdone by movie piracy. I'd also imagine hand held console piracy is significantly higher than its regular console counter part.

Which is pretty similar findings to a report into PC gaming piracy a while back by Koroush Ghazi over on tweakguides.com

http://www.tweakguides.com/Piracy_4.html

Again not saying that every pirated game is a lost sale or anything like that. The developers realise that themselves but even if only 5% of pirated PC games are lost sales thats still over 200,000 less copies sold on something like Modern Warfare 2 on PC.

I do prefer PC gaming, I prefer its overall ability to be adapted for any situation and I do hope it becomes a bigger success, but piracy and a lack of any single driven force marketing it does hurt its ability to broaden its appeal. It also doesn't have the pick and play ability of consoles who don't have to worry about buying a pre-made PC and get stuck with a crappy integrated graphics card.

the_syco

gizmo wrote: »

That being said, as I mentioned above, it's the fact that you can buy a piece of hardware which is guaranteed to play games for a certain period of time at the same level of quality as everyone else who bought it which will ensure there will always be a market for consoles.

This is why consoles will always win.

PC game developers are always pushing with what they have, with new technologies, etc. Take Crysis: when it first came out, only those people with a high end machine could play it smoothly. If it had come out on the console, LOTS of people would be able to play it, as everyone would have had the required hardware to run it.

Someone mentioned that consoles are becoming more like PC's. They are. But there'll always be a gap, as the console manufactures know that should consoles come on par with PC's, in terms of usablity, so too will they come on par with PC, in terms of piracy.

bizmark

Not sure i agree with game's pushing pc's anymore mines around 3 years old now and apart from a 150 euro graphic's card this year i haven't upgraded it since buying it still plays every new game on high or medium with out problems it wasn't massively expensive back in the day either maybe 1000 euro dual core 5200 amd 2 gig of ram etc nothing special ran crysis fine when it came out as well.

Didnt crysis sell over a milliion copys in the end as well Link the dev's seem to have panicked something terrible when the first week sales were slow and blamed every thing under the sun and every one just ran with that.

Dravokivich

I think PC gaming has won....

it's not so much the "popularity"...

But how often do you upgrade the hardware on a console?

Every 6 months you get hardcore PC Gamers upgrading their gear...

GFX card companies endorse / invest in developement groups to push out their GFX cards.

Dcully

Every 6 months you get hardcore PC Gamers upgrading their gear...

Thats nothing more than a myth.
I got a kick ass rig almost 2 years ago, i upgraded the gfx card to one of the latest ATI cards only recently, thats all i have ever done to it and its still kick ass today.
There isnt a game on the market i cant run at full settings with FSAA and AA maxed out with very high framerate.
Sorry but this notion that pc gamers upgrade every 6 months is completely false.

L31mr0d

Piracy won't kill PC gaming, the advancement of technology will. People aren't always going to want a PC at a desk with an archaic Keyboard and mouse connected to it (seriously, how long have we had this interface)... that isn't to say PC gaming will completely disappear, but it will not exist as we currently know it, not in our children's lifetimes.

People want mobile internet and media but above all else they want simplicity. PC's aren't simple and Microsoft has been doing nothing to change this. Rule #1 you learn about PC's is that they are allowed to get away with more problems than any other piece of hardware with an OS would be. How long do you think Sonys TV would sell for if it was widely known that they'd BSOD intermittently, or get infected with viruses just by switching to the wrong TV station.

The need to have a dedicated device that we call a PC will disappear as all devices we own that contain an embedded OS will be networked together and have access to the web. I'd imagine this will be the norm by the end of the next decade.

In fact I'd predict that the line between a console and a gaming PC will be non existent within the next 2 generations. Any of the features left that are unique to a PC will disappear. The console looks set to become what the PC should of been nearly a decade ago, having a dedicated hardware platform with a modular OS on top of it. Why the console will win out is that it champions automation and simplicity over manual freedom and complexity.

People don't want control over their devices, they want the experience those devices provide, and they want it to be guaranteed. Just like radio and television and nearly every other form of emergent media technology they've seen their phases of manual interest in the hardware and a direct interaction with the medium itself. This, however, is just a phase. Simplicity will always win out in the long run.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

Maximilian wrote: »

Actually, if this Cloud Gaming thing actually works, it will end up winning out in the end I think.

I think PC's will always have a place though.

They are two differant things, they will both always have a market, always. It just depends on the individual really, what they consider to be better.

the_syco wrote: »

This is why consoles will always win.

PC game developers are always pushing with what they have, with new technologies, etc. Take Crysis: when it first came out, only those people with a high end machine could play it smoothly. If it had come out on the console, LOTS of people would be able to play it, as everyone would have had the required hardware to run it.

Consoles don't "always" win... They have their exclusives, but are they really worth forking out 300+ for a console, then a further 60+ for the game? The PS3 was 749 when it first arrived on our shelves. Like, WTF? That's half an amazing PC right there. As for graphics, no matter what sony and microsoft "our new console is 15 times more powerful than the latest PC", what a crock of crap, it's marketing, they are trying to sell their products and will feed you rubbish, sad thing is, most people believe them.

A PC will always be ahead of consoles on graphics and gameplay. The gameplay on a PC is so much better. I do admit, it takes a while to get used to. I have a PS3, Xbox 360 and a pretty decent PC. Bought it about 18 months ago or more, I have yet to come across a game that I cannot play properly.

I find consoles to be quite limited, while there are some pretty good games to get on console, you are always limited to the hardware that is in the machine. It will be another few years before another console will be released. Either way, PC's are much more versatile, games are cheaper and the gameplay is much better.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

L31mr0d wrote: »

Piracy won't kill PC gaming, the advancement of technology will. People aren't always going to want a PC at a desk with an archaic Keyboard and mouse connected to it (seriously, how long have we had this interface)... that isn't to say PC gaming will completely disappear, but it will not exist as we currently know it, not in our children's lifetimes.

People want mobile internet and media but above all else they want simplicity. PC's aren't simple and Microsoft has been doing nothing to change this. Rule #1 you learn about PC's is that they are allowed to get away with more problems than any other piece of hardware with an OS would be. How long do you think Sonys TV would sell for if it was widely known that they'd BSOD intermittently, or get infected with viruses just by switching to the wrong TV station.

The need to have a dedicated device that we call a PC will disappear as all devices we own that contain an embedded OS will be networked together and have access to the web. I'd imagine this will be the norm by the end of the next decade.

In fact I'd predict that the line between a console and a gaming PC will be non existent within the next 2 generations. Any of the features left that are unique to a PC will disappear. The console looks set to become what the PC should of been nearly a decade ago, having a dedicated hardware platform with a modular OS on top of it. Why the console will win out is that it champions automation and simplicity over manual freedom and complexity.

People don't want control over their devices, they want the experience those devices provide, and they want it to be guaranteed. Just like radio and television and nearly every other form of emergent media technology they've seen their phases of manual interest in the hardware and a direct interaction with the medium itself. This, however, is just a phase. Simplicity will always win out in the long run.

PC's have been around for quite some time. Coexisting with consoles. You know what pisses a lot of PC users off? Devs creating a console game and then just making it play on a PC, without making any changes. So basically what you have is a console game on a PC. The PC community is massive, it will always exist, the technology will change but I cannot see it becomming that simple. People DO want control over their hardware, not everyone wants simplicity, some find the complexities of a PC a challenge. I for one love building new PC's from scratch. You can add a mouse and keyboard to a console, but that doesn't make it a PC. Changes the level of game play maybe, but the limitations are still there for consoles. They will always be there until microsoft and sony begin to make hardware that you can use to update your current system. Are they going to do this? I doubt it.

L31mr0d

Tessa Prehistoric Racketeering wrote: »

People DO want control over their hardware, not everyone wants simplicity, some find the complexities of a PC a challenge. I for one love building new PC's from scratch.

I build and overclock PC's myself also. I accept however that the majority of people do not want to do this. Quite a few of my friends that, back around the mid 90's started building PC's are now using a laptop for media and internet and a console for gaming.

I also accept that there are people out there that still build their own radios, but the majority wants the simplicity of a radio in their phone or small enough to pin to their lapel. Would you rather build a large radio to sit on your desk or buy a radio the size of your thumbnail to take with you as you travel?

Personal Computers have not been around for a long time relatively speaking, and as media devices they are still just coming out of their adolescence. Technology tends not to increase in utility while proportionally increasing in difficulty to operate by its user. The inverse is often true.

You only have to compare computing from the mid 90's to how people accomplish the same tasks and interact with computers now to see my point.

GothPunk

Tessa Prehistoric Racketeering wrote: »

A PC will always be ahead of consoles on graphics and gameplay. The gameplay on a PC is so much better. I do admit, it takes a while to get used to. I have a PS3, Xbox 360 and a pretty decent PC. Bought it about 18 months ago or more, I have yet to come across a game that I cannot play properly.

Can I ask you to explain this statement a bit more, because as it stands I'm not sure if I agree or disagree with you and I think that it's an interesting point.

On the one hand, I remember Deus Ex: Invisible War, the sequel to one of my all time favourite games, being criticised by some gamers for being 'dumbed down' due to the console port. Is this what you mean by gameplay being better on a PC; that console games are easier, dumbed down? Are PC games more involving? More enjoyable? Is the quality and depth of gameplay tied to the system you play it on?

On the other hand, I'm of the mind that gameplay is to do with the game mechanics, how enjoyable the game is through how fun it is to play and also by being tested well and tweaked. Innovative game experiences that are enjoyable, rewarding and challenging are likely to be the hallmarks of what many would define as 'good gameplay'. What I'm getting at is this: surely gameplay is defined by the games and not the system?

So in effect are you saying that PC games, overall, are just better?

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

L31mr0d wrote: »

I build and overclock PC's myself also. I accept however that the majority of people do not want to do this. Quite a few of my friends that, back around the mid 90's started building PC's are now using a laptop for media and internet and a console for gaming.

I also accept that there are people out there that still build their own radios, but the majority wants the simplicity of a radio in their phone or small enough to pin to their lapel. Would you rather build a large radio to sit on your desk or buy a radio the size of your thumbnail to take with you as you travel?

Personal Computers have not been around for a long time relatively speaking, and as media devices they are still just coming out of their adolescence. Technology tends not to increase in utility while proportionally increasing in difficulty to operate by its user. The inverse is often true.

You only have to compare computing from the mid 90's to how people accomplish the same tasks and interact with computers now to see my point.

I think you might be bringing in your personal experience a little too much, everyone I know that owns a gaming PC builds or modifies it in some shape or form. If anything new technology is being introduced to make the upgrading process even easier. I can see this becomming even easier for most people to do.

You cannot compare a radio to a computer, as both are completely differant. Component wise, end user interface, functions etc etc. Radios could never be upgraded like a PC can now, nor did it have the massive advantages.

PC's are technical, those who use them accept this, they know this and while some would accept a simpler version, I think that most would not, especially gamers, which is what we are talking about here. Some love to overclock everything they can, I only done it the once and I didn't see much of a differance. It's not really my thing although it can in some cases improve the performance of your machine.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

GothPunk wrote: »

Can I ask you to explain this statement a bit more, because as it stands I'm not sure if I agree or disagree with you and I think that it's an interesting point.

On the one hand, I remember Deus Ex: Invisible War, the sequel to one of my all time favourite games, being criticised by some gamers for being 'dumbed down' due to the console port. Is this what you mean by gameplay being better on a PC; that console games are easier, dumbed down? Are PC games more involving? More enjoyable? Is the quality and depth of gameplay tied to the system you play it on?

On the other hand, I'm of the mind that gameplay is to do with the game mechanics, how enjoyable the game is through how fun it is to play and also by being tested well and tweaked. Innovative game experiences that are enjoyable, rewarding and challenging are likely to be the hallmarks of what many would define as 'good gameplay'. What I'm getting at is this: surely gameplay is defined by the games and not the system?

So in effect are you saying that PC games, overall, are just better?

Yea sorry, I knew I didn't explain this too well.

When I mean game play, I find the experience on the PC is much better than any console, but this only goes for the type of games I play. For racing and football games I find that the console is better, if you are comparing them using basic peripherals... Of course, you can buy a joypad/joystick for the PC too.

Take FPS for instance, the skill cap of a player is limited on the console due to the limited movement you have with a joypad. With a keyboard / mouse combination, that skill cap is much higher. You can be very very precise with your mouse. You can move your corsair much faster, with keybindings I find you can crouch and move better on a keyboard. Take into account how much a player plays on PC / Console. A console player will find the mouse / Keyboard combo difficult to master, while a PC player finds a console difficult to master.

As for the games, the gameplay itself is similar, but I find it much more realistic, entertaining and fulfilling on the PC. Overall, yes I think that the quality of games, the gameplay and choice of games is much better on the PC than any other console. I feel very limited when playing console games

hooradiation

Tessa Prehistoric Racketeering wrote: »

PC's have been around for quite some time. Coexisting with consoles. You know what pisses a lot of PC users off? Devs creating a console game and then just making it play on a PC, without making any changes.

They do this because there is no financial incentive to do otherwise. Why should they sink time and effort into making PC centric changes when the PC is the platform that will sell the least and be pirated the most?

gizmo

L31mr0d wrote: »

Piracy won't kill PC gaming, the advancement of technology will.

I think this point is quite debatable to be perfectly honest. I would regard it as increase in the popularity of consoles and their associated benefits than anything else. The mere fact that former PC heavyweights such as iD and Epic are now designing their engines for consoles is proof of this. You can bleat on about how powerful PCs are over consoles but when companies like this are switching it's time to wake up. Regarding the associated benefits point, lower piracy figures are part of this and only add to the level of indifference companies are showing towards the PC. Look at EA, they're not even bothering to port some of their existing franchises anymore. Not to mention the delay with big AAA games coming to the PC after their console brethren.

L31mr0d wrote: »

In fact I'd predict that the line between a console and a gaming PC will be non existent within the next 2 generations. Any of the features left that are unique to a PC will disappear. The console looks set to become what the PC should of been nearly a decade ago, having a dedicated hardware platform with a modular OS on top of it. Why the console will win out is that it champions automation and simplicity over manual freedom and complexity.

While this may be true with respect to gaming, I can still see a need, albeit a somewhat reduced one, for fully upgradable hardware in the form of a traditional PC.

As for this whole budget PC being better than a console thing, unfortunately I feel that it is no longer true. There is no way you can build a complete PC (without monitor) capable of playing the likes of MW2 at the same resolution and detail levels as a 360. I am, of course, open to correction on this but for €246.99 for an Elite, I think it's impossible.

L'prof

Plain and simple, I just don't like PC gaming and it's mainly to do with the keyboard and mouse...I never took to it, it doesn't feel right and just find it all a bit cumbersome. I have tried on numerous occasions to play PC games but, I just don't like it at all. I suppose I could try using a controller for the PC but, I'm not sure how well they work and I'm happy enough gaming on my console.

Personally, I don't think either side will win out because there are valid arguments on both sides and there will always be a market for both!

wayne040576

gizmo wrote: »

I think this point is quite debatable to be perfectly honest. I would regard it as increase in the popularity of consoles and their associated benefits than anything else. The mere fact that former PC heavyweights such as iD and Epic are now designing their engines for consoles is proof of this. You can bleat on about how powerful PCs are over consoles but when companies like this are switching it's time to wake up. Regarding the associated benefits point, lower piracy figures are part of this and only add to the level of indifference companies are showing towards the PC. Look at EA, they're not even bothering to port some of their existing franchises anymore. Not to mention the delay with big AAA games coming to the PC after their console brethren.


While this may be true with respect to gaming, I can still see a need, albeit a somewhat reduced one, for fully upgradable hardware in the form of a traditional PC.

As for this whole budget PC being better than a console thing, unfortunately I feel that it is no longer true. There is no way you can build a complete PC (without monitor) capable of playing the likes of MW2 at the same resolution and detail levels as a 360. I am, of course, open to correction on this but for €246.99 for an Elite, I think it's impossible.

I gave it a go moreso out of curiousity than anything else. Did it all on komplett. I got as far as the cpu, mainboard, ram, hard drive and graphics card and had already hit 400.
That still leaves the case + extras. I could maybe drop the cpu and board price a little. Graphics card is cheap enough.

Intel Core™ 2 Duo E7400 2,8GHz, €118
ASUS P5Q Deluxe, P45, Socket-775 €128
Corsair Value S. PC5300 DDR2 2GB €46
ASUS GeForce 9500GT 512MB PhysX CUDA €45
Western Digital Caviar SE16 500GB SATA2 €42
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus CPU Cooler €23

Hercule

I am being very cautious of this thread - good luck mods, some heavy moderation will have to take place to stop it from being a fanboy train wreck

One thing strikes me with regards costs:

Id say most ppl in this discussion are "assuming" the cost of a TV or Monitor when comparing the cost of these machines

If including a monitor in the PC price -vs- Console price debate you should include the cost of a TV on top of the cost of the xbox elite

Add that to the costs incurred when the console software itself traditionally costs more then PC (not always the case I know). And as far as I recall, dont xboxs need monthly live subscriptions to play online?

From a purely selfish PC gamer perspective:
PC gamers (like me) are traditionally willing to pay a higher premium on hardware for better quality (lower premium) software. As the difference between a "console game" and a "PC game" gets smaller - (or rather we stop getting PC games and just get watered down console games on PC) the demand for this high premium hardware is going down.

A testament to this is the console port that is CoD:MW2 (to my knowledge) does not appear as part of any "graphics card + game" bundles on PC - unlike most major FPS releases for the last decade.

In our lifetime neither medium has a definitive future - for the moment I look forward to at least another decade of great games on all both platforms :P