View Full Version : Crap is it small
doubleR
07-10-2006, 06:20 PM
I went into Game Stop today and pre ordered Prey. They don't even have a damn PC section any more. They have a tiny ass rack of PC games and that's it. The entire store is like 99% console games. I feel like a alien in there among all the teeny boppers wanting their next plug and play fix from mom an dad. Trends like this encourage online ordering straight from the distributor.
Tang Lung
07-10-2006, 06:22 PM
It's been like that since I can remember (and I can remember about 8 years ago).
I wouldnt worry too much.
Mongorian
07-10-2006, 06:52 PM
I saw the thread title and thought you meant something else. ;)
avatar_58
07-10-2006, 06:52 PM
Crap is it small
It's been like that since I can remember (and I can remember about 8 years ago).
I wouldnt worry too much.
Haha...:D I mean, ahem...
Yeah I made the same comments before. My ebgames has gotten better since, but they still push it all off into the corner. Its unorginized too save for one small "new releases" section.
Dr. Kill
07-10-2006, 06:52 PM
Stores like Gamestop and EBGames are starting to treat the PC like the Sega Saturn or 3DO. At the moment (due to my crappy video card), I don't play pc games much, but when I get my pc upgraded, the lack of pc games at GAME STORES will piss me off.
Tang Lung
07-10-2006, 06:55 PM
Haha...:D I mean, ahem...
Haha! Oh man I should of been paying more attention :D
It makes me sad that Wal-Mart carries more PC games than GameStop.
Orochi Avlis
07-10-2006, 07:05 PM
It's saddens me too that it's been reduced to this.
Mongorian
07-10-2006, 07:07 PM
The lack of shelf space for PC games has gotten much more serious than in years past. I really do think the platform is becoming obsolete in the mind of developers.
Probably because console games make more money. (It's sad to say but it's a bigger market. How many PC game commercials do you see these days compared to PS2/PS3/XB360/PSP/DS/etc. ? )
They probably are starting to see how putting so much effort and cash into making a AAA pc game won't really break even after so long.
Orochi Avlis
07-10-2006, 07:27 PM
I think the problem is that we are advancing too fast graphically.
People complain about the constant upgrades. That's what puts off alot of casual gamers.
Damien_Azreal
07-10-2006, 07:33 PM
This is one reason I support Microsoft's "Games for Windows" idea. Get more PC games into the stores and such.
Mongorian
07-10-2006, 07:35 PM
This is one reason I support Microsoft's "Games for Windows" idea. Get more PC games into the stores and such.
Ads in PCGamer are not going to attract any new PC gamers.
My Best Buy here has a whole aisle dedicated to PC games. (an aisle at Best Buy is around half to two thirds the size of an aisle at a supermarket)
But yeah, it's sad that PC games (the kind I grew up with) are becoming a dying breed.
someguy2435
07-10-2006, 07:46 PM
In my local EB they used to have a giant rack that stored all the PC games. It was easily the most noticeable section, with another huge section for preordered games and then the rest was split for the consoles.
Now the PC games have been reduced to one small shelf in the centre, with the preowned games tossed together in another shelf, unorganised. One third of the store is devoted to Xbox/360 products and then an entire 2/3 of the store is devoted to the ****ing PS2.
Quick pics I made in Paint:
Old EB
http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/6971/newbitmapimage51fb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
New EB
http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/1082/newbitmapimage33bb.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
Thats pretty much the same with mine. Except most of the middle is filled with accessories and toys from games, instead of PC games. There is one small PC shelf.
Wamplet
07-10-2006, 08:03 PM
Stores like Gamestop and EBGames are starting to treat the PC like the Sega Saturn or 3DO. At the moment (due to my crappy video card), I don't play pc games much, but when I get my pc upgraded, the lack of pc games at GAME STORES will piss me off.
It's like that everywhere.
I have seen shelf space halved at compusa and BestBuy. Hell even Walmart and Target have halved their shelf space as well. :(
They each have 1 aisle or wall, and the aisle is a fairly small one. :(
Mr.Fibbles
07-10-2006, 08:32 PM
I think PC's are better, which is why it pisses me off that everyone talks about their new PS[insert high number] or whatever. The fact that you can upgrade a PC for possibly less than it cost to buy a new system is why I choose PC. I dojn't mind upgrading everyonce in a while, it is not like you have to buy a nwe video card everytime a new one comes out. I just buy upgrades as I nees them. I will probably be getting a new processor and maybe more RAM sometime soon even though I can run Prey pretty well, at low resolutions but high graphics and FPS.
doubleR
07-10-2006, 09:05 PM
Probably because console games make more money. (It's sad to say but it's a bigger market. How many PC game commercials do you see these days compared to PS2/PS3/XB360/PSP/DS/etc. ? )
They probably are starting to see how putting so much effort and cash into making a AAA pc game won't really break even after so long.
Hmmm...interesting, but I don't see commercials as the money maker myself.
And what is the cost of advertising vs a lot of effort and word of mouth?
Dr. Kill
07-10-2006, 09:51 PM
My EBGames has about an equal ammount of PS2 and XBox games, one small wall of gamecube games, one small wall of 360 games (that is slowly gettin bigger), no SNES, Genesis, NES, Saturn, or Dreamcast games, and a small rack of PC games. They used to have quite a few pc games. A section at least as big as their 360 selection is now.
This is how the EB closest to my house looks like:
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2920/eblayout8zv.png (http://imageshack.us)
They always have the latest releases on all platforms. I even see some '90s games from time to time in the PC section.
Phayzon
07-10-2006, 10:10 PM
The GameStop that I preordered Prey at looks like someguy's EBGames. The EBGames at my mall looks like the one above, with a slightly smaller PS2 for a larger GameCube.
It pisses my off that Walmart/Target/BestBuy/Circuit City have more shelve space for PC games than stores like EB/GameStop... I usually go to BestBuy, unless they dont have (or wont let me have, ala my Prey preorder issue) what im looking for I go to GameStop.
Wamplet
07-10-2006, 10:18 PM
This is how the EB closest to my house looks like:
Layout is the same for me.
They used to have a lot of old PC games, but now they have just a handful on 1 rack. You could get a ton of shit that you would normally only find on ebay, but they cleaned house. :(
Riddlewire
07-10-2006, 10:39 PM
I hate gamepads.
(Yes, I consider that a completely relevant comment.)
Phayzon
07-10-2006, 11:05 PM
Aside from this post (or not) that is the least relevant, if at all relevant, post in this thread to the topic...
Hmmm...interesting, but I don't see commercials as the money maker myself.
And what is the cost of advertising vs a lot of effort and word of mouth?
I agree, the only advertisement for PC games I've ever seen is for The Sims, and The Sims, while being explosively popular, is not the bona-fide most popular PC game out there.
Destroyer
07-11-2006, 01:02 AM
I support things like Steam, cut the publisher straight out. put more money in the hands of devleopers.
jimbob
07-11-2006, 01:50 AM
not much of a problem over here, here it pretty much balances out.
and i know a few stores that have some "older" games too \o/ got my copy of The curse of monkey island and Day of the tentacle/Sam and max there \o/
Daveman
07-11-2006, 03:39 AM
Target and Best Buy have had the same (large) PC games section for as long as I can remember. Target has more PC games than any other platform where I live. GameStop and EB Games have tiny sections, though. :(
I agree, the only advertisement for PC games I've ever seen is for The Sims, and The Sims, while being explosively popular, is not the bona-fide most popular PC game out there.
I dunno about that....The Sims remained number 1 (in sales) for a very, very long time. I believe even months after it was out.
Orochi Avlis
07-11-2006, 07:26 AM
Sims 2 and it's expansions are still selling well.
Urh I've got at least 2 gamestores here in the neighborhood that still sell a lot of PC games. One of them is a music store, but really they have a lot of games for a music store.
This is one reason I support Microsoft's "Games for Windows" idea. Get more PC games into the stores and such.
They're plugging Windows games, not PC games. An attempt to brainwash as in 'Windows == PC' and turn the *IBM PC* into a proprietry Microsoft platform in people's minds is not something that should be supported. It's already annoying enough that many people have that perception, but a public marketing campaign reinforcing it makes me sick. Obviously somebody's worried about something though. :p
Nessus
07-11-2006, 09:01 AM
My local Gamestop went from having a 30 foot long PC section to having about 6 feet of wall space, that's it.
Mountain Man
07-11-2006, 10:21 AM
Ads in PCGamer are not going to attract any new PC gamers.
Actually, Microsoft's proposed "Games for Windows" campaign is more extensive than that. One aspect of their marketing plan is to cut deals with vendors in order to get more shelf space for PC (read "Windows") games.
I remember when my local EB had a large wall dedicated to new PC games and a smaller used selection. Now it's a small, double-sided shelf on the showroom floor and no used selection (in fact, they've stopped accepting PC games for trade-in). Wal-Mart and Best Buy still have an extensive collection of PC games that rival that of the console sections, so all hope is not lost. It's just the gaming specialty stores that are ironically giving PC games the shaft.
Joe Siegler
07-11-2006, 10:34 AM
Stores go with what sells. It's as simple as that. If PC games sold more, they'd have more floor space.
It honestly is as simple as that.
Otto von Keisinger
07-11-2006, 01:51 PM
Actually, Microsoft's proposed "Games for Windows" campaign is more extensive than that. One aspect of their marketing plan is to cut deals with vendors in order to get more shelf space for PC (read "Windows") games.
Ah, yes, but then what happens to Linux games? A while back, I remember visiting my local Microcenter, where they had a grand total of two gaming sections, a massive, multi-aisle monstrosity for Windows games, and half an aisle (but slowly growing) dedicated to Linux games. It's been a long while since I've been back, but I fear that the section has disappeared entirely now. :(
Mongorian
07-11-2006, 02:11 PM
Actually, Microsoft's proposed "Games for Windows" campaign is more extensive than that. One aspect of their marketing plan is to cut deals with vendors in order to get more shelf space for PC (read "Windows") games.
I believe this when nationwide we stop seeing what is happening in the rest of your post.
avatar_58
07-11-2006, 05:20 PM
Ah, yes, but then what happens to Linux games? A while back, I remember visiting my local Microcenter, where they had a grand total of two gaming sections, a massive, multi-aisle monstrosity for Windows games, and half an aisle (but slowly growing) dedicated to Linux games. It's been a long while since I've been back, but I fear that the section has disappeared entirely now. :(
Where are living, la la land? I don't doubt you, but I've never seen a pure-linux game sold in a store. Ever. The only 'linux' games out there in retail are games like UT2k4 that happen to have linux binaries.
Otto von Keisinger
07-11-2006, 05:34 PM
Have you ever been to a Microcenter? And I've seen a half-aisle's worth all at once, so there! :p
Sim-City 4 I recall being sold seperately, along with Q3 at another time.
avatar_58
07-11-2006, 06:56 PM
Well as I said I don't doubt you, but the truth is that Linux has always gotten the short end of the stick and this 'games for windows' thing is hardly going to affect it any more than it is. ;)
Much like the poor mac, which only gets some ports.
Otto von Keisinger
07-11-2006, 10:01 PM
Macs had their own walled off area for their hardware and software at Microcenter. I went in there maybe twice, and both times to check out the then new iMac.
Mountain Man
07-11-2006, 10:50 PM
Ah, yes, but then what happens to Linux games? A while back, I remember visiting my local Microcenter, where they had a grand total of two gaming sections, a massive, multi-aisle monstrosity for Windows games, and half an aisle (but slowly growing) dedicated to Linux games. It's been a long while since I've been back, but I fear that the section has disappeared entirely now. :(
Unfortunately, very few developers even bother touching Linux these days. Doom 3 was the last major game to be released with a native Linux version (and even then it was only available via download some months after release), and I really can't think of any since then.
Malgon
07-12-2006, 08:34 AM
At EB Games over here the stores aren't that big, but the PC section takes up about a quarter of the store, So it's pretty even with the other systems (MS, Sony, Nintendo). My only qualm with PC games is they don't have anything older than 4-5 years old. But then I guess they don't hold old games for other systems either. It's not all bad really, PC is still alive and that's all that matters. :)
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