How is it connected to the topic at hand? PCs being more powerful as a gaming platform than consoles make it worse. It makes even more blatant that PC gaming is no longer as consoles are the limitating factor to games played on PCs in that case.
PC gaming not being the top dog isn't new since years and I don't see anyone claiming otherwise. Still doesn't make it dead.
PC gaming is not about being mainstream. It is about exploiting to the utmost a PC as a gaming platform.
Ermm... no? Never has been, on no system. Pushing tech, improving graphics and what not has always been a driving force, no doubt about it. But that's just 1 factor.
A Tetris was as low-tech as you could be at that time, still it was a worldwide hit game. WoW surely isn't pushing tech, but the envy of the whole business and the asset every publisher would want to have.
There were always games that failed from a technical standpoint, but succeeded in other ways, be it gameplay / story / innovation.
Back to the point already recalled in the thread: in the past, console hardware started on par or higher than PC, that could explain some things. Now with PCs starting on par or higher than consoles in terms of hardware, all those explanations no longer hold.
It means that even when consoles lag behind, developpers wont take advantage of the superiority of PCs.
If you compare solely to PCs yes. However, if you want to compare, you'd have to go with the at that time biggest dog in the computer sector. So roughly speaking C64 vs NES / Master system, Amiga / Atari ST vs Genesis / SNes and so on - and you'd get a different picture.
The main advantage consoles always had and what made them so popular, regardless of what timeframe we're speaking, was their price and accessibility. They were always cheaper and with about 0 configuration problems available then computers.
Shooters are now console territory. A KB with mouse is inherently a superior interface over a controller. Even against this advantage, consoles managed to make shooters their territory. A masterly feat.
Since when is adding auto-aim a masterly feat? Oh and Planetside 2 would like to have a word with you....
You keep asking for a change compared to the last decade. The Witcher is one big change. The Witcher 2 was developped for PCs(even if you could see that they were preparing the ground for a port to consoles). The Witcher 3 will be not. It will be developped for consoles.
“The PC was the lead platform for Witcher 2 because it was the most powerful, but that might change in the future,” he says. “The PC allows for more at the moment, but new platforms are stepping up. In the future, it should be much easier to unify the requirements. Some things, like control schemes, will still need to be tailored to the platforms but the new platforms will unify requirements.
This is coming straight from Mr. Badowski. Yes, Witcher 3 is aimed as a multi-platform release. Please notice, that "might change" and "unify" doesn't automagically mean "PC get's the shaft".
More evidences PC gaming is dead. Games that could be released five years ago, coming only now, third world of gaming.
Please check the definition of "being dead".....
We know publishers didn't wanted to go that way, mostly because the audience on console side wasn't there. Even to imagine a Planescape: Torment nowadays in the hands of console gamers - simply mind boggling. Most probably couldn't grasp it. But you can check wherever you want, it is seen as one of the best RPGs of all times.
While console gamers raged and signed petitions about Bajonetta 2, 74k+ PC gamers thrown 4 millions at a dev to make a new Planescape. Yeah. Definitely dead.
PC gaming has never been about number of sales, profits etc
No? Right, there weren't companies running or individuals trying to make a living, only amateurs pursuing their hobby....
After playing the WD adventure games, nothing in them speaks against the assertion that adventure is dead. You can release every year new adventure games but nothing new in them. As a genre, it is dead.
For what was the walking dead cheered for? The story, choices. From a technical standpoint sure, there's nothing new or done better then others in it.
It does not hurt at all because there is no twist. Genres that are very often associated with console gaming have seen their gameplay improved over time. It has moved forward. It is a sign that both the industry and the players got their priorities right for these genres. Despite those improvements, claims are made about them being dumbed down etc
Please for the sake of it, start to actually name a few of those improvements or innovations. I may have missed it, but so far I haven't seen even one mentioned that would back up your claims.
AAA projects are where the innovation can be made because innovating requires means and AAA projects might have means in excess to allocate to innovation.
Innovative AAA console games in the last few years? Please start throwing some names in our general direction....