No doubt, you’ve all heard a variation of this line recently: PC gaming is going through a slow death. Hell, the signs seem to be there to back it up. More and more game developers seem to be moving away from the old faithful computer with games released exclusively on console or PC ports that is delayed due to piracy concerns. But if PC gaming truly is at the beginning of the end, why are consumers still buying gaming computers?
According to Gamepolitics.com, a recently released study by Jon Peddie Research is predicting a massive growth for gaming computers. The study claims that the PC gaming hardware market is currently sitting on around $20 billion a year. This figure is expected to grow to $34 billion by the time we hit 2012. The report also states that PC game sales do not take into account digitally distributed titles, and that; “Retail software figures are not an accurate barometer for the health of the PC gaming industry.”
Peddie also draws a line in the sand when it comes to console gaming by claiming that the weight of a new console plus an HDTV capable television can push the cost way past that of a gaming PC. That is, of course, assuming that in order to ‘enjoy’ a next-gen console you’ll have to go out and buy the latest and greatest TV as well.
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