Doth I protest too much, or does this business of anxiously pining after game majors ported to PCs months after their ballyhooed premieres on console bricks coupled to scintillating TVs in sprawling entertainment centers taste more and more like flat soda?
Yes, PC game wonks, today Rockstar -- which ironically lists "PC" first in its "distributor of and publisher of interactive entertainment software games for" lineup -- "proudly" confirmed that Grand Theft Auto IV will arrive on PCs on November 18th and 21st in North America and Europe, respectively. That's only seven months after it arrived last April for Xbox 360 and PS3 owners the world round.
And there was much rejoicing?
Almost certainly among those of you who've not yet played it on one or the other console-which-shall-not-be-named.
That would be what, all two or three of you?
I mean, hello guys, 11 million copies sold to retailers already back in May? Rockstar gets that PC gamers with the oomph likely necessary to run a game as sprawling as GTA4 smoothly already own an Xbox 360 or PS3, right?
So what's the deal? Why the delay? And why are PC gamers who'd prefer to play the game on their PCs not more vocal about getting simultaneous treatment?
Isn't that a big part of what's ailing PC gaming of late? The idea, exceptions made for the same-ol'-MMOs we've been hearing about for years, that the PC is just a second stringer? An "echo" platform? A place for expensive-to-develop hits to appear six months to a year after splashing noisily onto economically jazzier consoles?
GTA IV reportedly cost some $100 million to make. It's the Waterworld of video gaming (if, you know, Waterworld hadn't sucked). No doubt it would have cost even more to launch simultaneously on the PC, but that argument's also self-fulfilling. Besides, since when did the PC become a receptacle for leftovers?
Make that leftovers with "benefits." That's right, the PC version of GTA4 -- otherwise identical to its console cousins -- is getting "newly expanded multiplayer." How flooring.
Nothing against Rockstar, and -- see here -- nothing whatsoever against GTA4. The game was and remains a hilarious send up of some of the wackiest aspects of American culture.
But come on: Knights of the Old Republic? Mass Effect? The Halo series? Devil May Cry 4? Assassin's Creed?
Add GTA4 to the list of reheated entrees.
I'm sure it'll be fantastic anyway. Heck, you'll probably even be able to play it with your Xbox 360 gamepad.
Sadly that is true, but not true for every game and some publishers (all hail Valve) release games via PC before console. And a lot of publishers do cross platform release such as Infinity Ward for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. And even do cross distribution thanks to Steam. CoD4 and the Orange Box are all availble retail box for all PS3 XBOX360 and PC but also availble through digital distribution via Steam. It's just unfortunite that some companies think of the PC last, although you could argue that they save the PC last because they realize they are going to need to spend more time on it as its a better platform. Bumping the textures from even an HD format of 1080i to an even higher resolution of say 1600x1050 with all the cool effects probably takes a bit longer. Also since consoles have a limited number of buttons (14) and the PC has 102 + mouse (up to 7) the control schemes and making the PC version harder since we have more control probably has something to do with it.
As a reply to djsyntek,
1080i has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080. That's higher than 1600x1050.
Yes, adding keyboard + mouse controls is a lot different than a simple gamepad.
Rockstar has a plan going for their marketing. You spend money on the first game for console, only to buy the PC version seven months later because of some new features. The game is programmed on the PC platform, the code is just re-written by the compiler for the consoles. It's not that hard or time-consuming to compile the code for the PC.
They just want to make some money.