Microsoft + Nvidia + AMD + Intel = Wow for gamers!
The PC Gaming Alliance is real. It was just announced at GDC, and comprises not only the rumoured Intel, Nvidia, AMD/ATi and Microsoft (along with Alienware, Dell, ACER and Gateway), but publishing giants Epic and Activision as well. Intel’s Randy Stude will be heading up the group, which rather than making things like official stickers, box labels and slogans will instead be working to provide the platform with a unified “voice”:
One of our main major objectives is to provide one voice on PC gaming market. There’s no one source that says ‘hey this is where the PC market is going’. Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft are always calling their market share - we’re going to call our market through this group.
Sounds like a truly-grass-roots move. And it’s got all the big hardware names, and two of the biggest software names (remember, Acti includes Blizzard now), onboard. Seems reports of the death of PC gaming have been greatly exaggerated!
According to Dean Takahashi over at the San Jose Mercury News, a number of the PC world’s biggest names - inclusing Microsoft, AMD (so ATi), Nvidia and Intel - will at GDC announce a PC gaming “alliance”, targeted at promoting the PC as a gaming platform. They’ll be hoping to lure big-name developers and publishers back to the PC, many of who have walked away from the platform due to piracy concerns and the lure of the console market, and here’s hoping they succeed. Millions of dollars in revenue from MMOs and casual, ad-supported games are great for those in on that action, but a lot of us just want to play better - and more - good old-fashioned PC games.
Gaming Alliance stumps for PC
Source: Kotaku
Well, this could very well usher the formation of a ‘cartel’ of a sort that controls both the console and PC gaming market. MS has interests in console market too, where it will start losing now since HD-DVD has just died. I am afraid that this might actually prove counter productive to the PC gaming market since Epic recently announced their intention to focus in the console market.
OR it could just be the opposite. Blizzard, Intel, AMD, have interests in the PC market more than the console market and can become a major force in directing the console vs PC market war. How long this alliance sticks is a greater issue now.
Comment Posted at: February 20th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I’m curious to see how PCGA deals with WildTangent and their new product “Orb”. This system is suppose to make any standard household PC faster and far more powerful then all consoles on the market. Not to mention you get free AAA game titles by simply looking at an ad before your game session starts. This could be the big break PC gaming has been looking for in the war against the console.
Check out my article about this at the PC Games Junction.
http://thegamejunction.blogspot.com/2008/02/game-industry-giants-form-pc-gaming.html
Comment Posted at: February 21st, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Yeah, Jason I read that piece and the news somewhere else too. I decided to do a post on it, might as well do it by tonight. Will post my thoughts in it.
Orb = Kick-Console-Ass.
Comment Posted at: February 21st, 2008 at 6:23 pm
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