PDA

View Full Version : RPS should do an article about former PC devs and why they left the platform


LGM
02-05-2012, 05:21 PM
I think it would be quite interesting to get some response from developers who used to make PC games and now only make games for consoles and mobile platforms as to why they've abandoned the PC and if we'll ever see them return to us.

What's got me thinking about this is the release of Redlynx's Trials Evolution on XBLA. These guys started out PC and now make console and mobile games. If you've checked out Trials Evo you'll know that it's un-freaking-believable. It's Trials 2:SE times 1000, track editor, IT'S OUTDOORS NOW not in a warehouse, multiplayer, amazing! But us PC gamers, we get... nothing from them!

Another dev who jumped ship is Llamasoft. Pioneers in PC gaming, they now make mobile games, just mobile games. A shame as Gridrunner Revolution was excellent. BUT, the leaderboards for it have been offline for it for a year and a half, maybe longer.

So what's happening? What do all these companies have to say about turning their backs on what is arguably the biggest gaming market there is?
Kodeen
02-05-2012, 05:38 PM
Ask Cliffy B.
Nalano
02-05-2012, 06:40 PM
Lack of funding. Directives by publishers.
Rossignol
02-05-2012, 07:33 PM
Because they are weak.
Heliocentric
02-05-2012, 07:46 PM
Because they are weak.

I'm going with daft, they chose to be thralls.
thegooseking
02-05-2012, 08:02 PM
There's so much uncertainty on PC. "Will they like this? Will they like this?"

On console it's "Doesn't matter if you like it; that's all the platform-holder will let us release." So much less anxiety.

So I'm going to go with, "For the sake of mental health."

Also (and more seriously) because control. Devs like to know that you see the game as intended. A console is (SD and HD notwithstanding) guaranteed to produce that, but on PC it depends on all sorts of multiplicities of configurations.
magnus1969
03-07-2012, 12:21 AM
Ask Cliffy B.
I bet you wouldn't get an inteligent answer though.
pakoito
03-07-2012, 12:24 AM
I bet you wouldn't get an inteligent answer though.

I think they make aphrodisiac perfumes out of Cliffyb's sweat. They market them as rhino pheromones, tho.
Hypernetic
03-07-2012, 04:30 AM
9.9 times out of 10 the answer you will get when asking any particular developer why they migrated to consoles is "piracy".

It doesn't matter that they are wrong. It doesn't matter that piracy doesn't matter. That is the answer they will give.
Tikey
03-07-2012, 02:54 PM
9.9 times out of 10 the answer you will get when asking any particular developer why they migrated to consoles is "piracy".

It doesn't matter that they are wrong. It doesn't matter that piracy doesn't matter. That is the answer they will give.

It doesn't even matter if it isn't the real reason too.
Piracy is a nice scapegoat.