Redemption blogged

PC Gaming Not Dying - But No Thanks to EB or Others

Many stalwart PC gamers tell me that PC gaming is not dying. kspiess, Neoseeker's Video Card editor argues that the death of PC gaming is highly exaggerated. But the reality is the very industry itself is doing no favours to PC gaming.

Take EB Games for example, the major gaming retail chain here in the Vancouver area. During Christmas I visited 3 different EB Games stores around town to find that they have all removed PC Games from their wall displays. A few years ago PC games accounted for perhaps 20% of EB wall space, and more importantly, the New Releases were placed at the FRONT of the store (near the entrance). Now at best I will find PC titles arranged haphazardly on a small display shelf near the rear of the store. All the titles are arranged spine out, they don't even spare much space to show off the front of the cases which is how all the major titles get their attention when placed on shelfspace.

At Future Shop (a Best Buy owned big box retailer) some of the stores have the same problem. The PC titles are tucked away and best sellers are not even kept in stock! New titles that aren't best sellers are often missing too.

I went to look for the following titles at local game stores:
  • Left 4 Dead
  • Prince of Persia
And I found NO readily available copies.

Recently NPD data showed a decline of PC games sales through the Holiday 2008 season. Well no wonder! With PC titles tucked away, poorly displayed, improperly advertised, and poorly stocked WHAT do they expect!?

pc gaming related

Responses (17)

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Nagare Jan 18, 09
That sucks for the Vancouver area.

Gamestop owns EB as well and are in the process of converting all the stores (you can tell by taking the path and switching the domain on the sites ). I also never see PC titles at the front, aside from when Wrath of the lich King launched.

I got Left 4 Dead the day after release at my local Best Buy and they had about 4 copies left of 30 and have a cover faced system where new titles are shown and older ones are spine out.

I do agree though that the majority of people ignore the PC as a true gaming system although it is the purest one that works.
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Redemption Jan 18, 09
I did eventually get L4D at EB. London Drugs (a big box drugstore with a dedicated computer area) had no copies either. I was kind of surprised and disappointed that Prince of Persia was not easily found in stores. I had an easier time finding OLD games that one has never even heard of. I guess EB likes to keep all the bargain bin stuff readily available. lol.
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Nagare Jan 18, 09
Makes sense at EB, all the guys are trading in old games for in store credit on newer games and then they take all of those

Did you manage to pick up PoP at all?
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chautemoc Jan 18, 09
I couldn't find World of Goo, but they had like five (new) copies of Fable..what the *bleep*.
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Nagare Jan 18, 09
Get Steam then...it's $19.99 USD. Or get it WiiWare like me for $5

world of goo is an incredibly cool and underrated game
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chautemoc Jan 18, 09
I hate Steam's DRM so unfortunately I must refuse..and don't have a Wii or want one bad enough to buy one..
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Northern49 Aug 12, 09
What is wrong with Steam's DRM? It's convenient, cost-effective, and secure. IE, you won't have to worry about losing a CD-Key, and you don't have to take your games with you when you move.
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Redemption Aug 18, 09
chautemoc is not a big fan of DRM at all, but that's another discussion.

Do not confuse Steam's DRM with their other convenience features. The "never lose a CD-Key" and installation without a CD features of Steam could exist even if they removed DRM altogether (because they can verify account details at time of install).

Steam's DRM does a call home check on startup and possibly during gameplay. If the developer of the game so chooses they can lock down gameplay for users without an active internet. I'm guessing the developer can also disable the Steam DRM if they so wish (is that what you said they did for Prince of Persia, chautemoc?)

I'm not against the Steam DRM, I don't mind tbh for most cases. But we did have this one problem where we tried to setup Left 4 Dead at our Neoseeker Xmas staff party and we couldn't play the darn thing because we had no net connection in that room, and between the staff we own MANY copies of the game (I own 2 off the shelf copies). So when the actual retail DVD/CD in the drive is not sufficient to play the game some people get a bit miffed .
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huntyr Jan 18, 09
Thats a real shame, I haven't noticed the lack of games in the vancouver area because I get most games through Steam or direct2drive
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RabidChinaGirl Jan 18, 09
I can't believe they didn't carry those games! They seem like staples for game stores around here. I bought L4D from Amazon though, because there was a $10 pre-order discount.

I think digital distribution is affecting retailers as far as PC games go, so maybe that explains why you couldn't find any copies. Perhaps they didn't order many to begin with, sold out, and decided there was no point in ordering any more?

I'd love to see NPD track digital retail as well.
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Redemption Jan 18, 09
I went to EB again today to take a look and found POP for $29.99 CAD and Far Cry 2 for $49.99 CAD. These are good prices compared to Steam which charges $49.99USD for each game (around $62CAD per title). Unfortunately for them the POP desire was sort of an impulse buy and now I'm in the money saving mode.
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Nagare Jan 18, 09
Let me know how it is. Deciding whether or not to look into it.

Same with FarCry 2.
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chautemoc Jan 18, 09
Yeah, let us know what you think of it.

Nagare, I quite loved it from what I've gotten to play. Especially for $30, it's well worth it.
I wasn't crazy about it really until I actually played it, then it was mesmerizing.
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Nagare Jan 18, 09
Now compare it to Mirror's Edge. Better? Worse? More involving?
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chautemoc Jan 18, 09
Haha. I didn't play ME much so I can't say. But....if I had to pick one I think I'd go with ME..but that's me..I have a major thing for it. Both great though. Though it has major DRM and PoP has little or none, so go with that if its a factor for you.
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kspiess Jan 19, 09
What ebgames thinks of PC gaming is also reflected on their terrible Canadian website. They only have the prices for a grand total of -5- PC games. It's pretty sad.
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huntyr Jan 19, 09
i totally agree. If you compare their US website to the Canada one, its laughable. You couldn't buy games online from them if you tried...
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