http://www.pcr-online.biz/news/33805/Micro...nt-to-PC-gamingPlease discuss.If they indeed refocus on PC gaming the possibility of a new FS may be come true!

I did prefer PC Gaming due to higher res, online multiplayer, addons etcHowever I now prefer the PS3 not only for the exclusive games but also because hardly any good games come out on PC anymore and with the PS3 I insert the disk and thats it. No faffing around installing, updating drivers, rebooting etcAs far as I am concerned I will not go back to PC gaming now unless there are some really good PC only exclusives which there won't be due to the PS3/360 market.

I did prefer PC Gaming due to higher res, online multiplayer, addons etcHowever I now prefer the PS3 not only for the exclusive games but also because hardly any good games come out on PC anymore and with the PS3 I insert the disk and thats it. No faffing around installing, updating drivers, rebooting etcAs far as I am concerned I will not go back to PC gaming now unless there are some really good PC only exclusives which there won't be due to the PS3/360 market.

Getting back on topic :(, this is great news. A PC based platform for FS is the best option as add-ons enhance the whole experience. A PS3 or XBOX can't compare to the versatility an open ended PC title brings to the table. This is great news but without the original team FS won't be what it was. This may or may not be a good thing... :(

Getting back on topic :(,

Erm hello? Please explain why my post is not on topic? If anything the article in the link doesnt even mention FS so my post is quite relevant.As per the original poster

Please discuss.

For any game to be released for PC now that the PC gaming user base has shrunk (as it must have you only need to look at the PC game section in any game store) for it to make any money it would either have to be an exclusive title (which is highly unlikely to cater for any mass market ie FS) or be released across the 3 platforms.Because there are now more online users with PS and 360 than there are PC (look at gamespy) any good games with multiplayer capability are going to be bought by the PS and 360 crowd unless the PC online gaming can be played cross-platform which is unlikely at the moment.So. in my opinion, there appears to be little point in getting excited about any PC games until the next FS is ever revealed to be in development. If MS invest in a new FS for PC based on the sales of PC games then I wouldn't hold my breath for a new FS. That also equates to low sales as getting the next version of FS to run (based on previous versions) will require new current hardware. As less people will be inclined to spend a fortune on new hardware to run one title it will not be a mainstream market so the returns will be low therefore there may not be one.As an aside I now only use my PC for Wings of Prey (due to trackir), FS and a few other games that are PC only from years back. I am sure that I am not alone.

Getting back on topic :(, this is great news. A PC based platform for FS is the best option as add-ons enhance the whole experience. A PS3 or XBOX can't compare to the versatility an open ended PC title brings to the table. This is great news but without the original team FS won't be what it was. This may or may not be a good thing... :(

I agree, great news--as long as it extends to FS. Microsoft did (and still, for the most part, does) have a great PC gaming heritage; anyone remember Microsoft Golf? :( I guess, in short, FS should be a part of Microsoft's PC gaming catalog.

I did prefer PC Gaming due to higher res, online multiplayer, addons etcHowever I now prefer the PS3 not only for the exclusive games but also because hardly any good games come out on PC anymore and with the PS3 I insert the disk and thats it. No faffing around installing, updating drivers, rebooting etcAs far as I am concerned I will not go back to PC gaming now unless there are some really good PC only exclusives which there won't be due to the PS3/360 market.

It also means if there are bugs, there is no way for updates until the next version you buy in most cases.

If MS invest in a new FS for PC based on the sales of PC games then I wouldn't hold my breath for a new FS. That also equates to low sales as getting the next version of FS to run (based on previous versions) will require new current hardware. As less people will be inclined to spend a fortune on new hardware to run one title it will not be a mainstream market so the returns will be low therefore there may not be one.

There may be a lot of console players on Gamespy, but despite the propensity of console gamers out there, spread across several machines, the home computer is still by far the most numerous gaming platform around the globe, and it is the core system of where MS does its business. The disappearance of PC games from high street stores is not indicative of a decline in games for the PC, the sales have simply shifted their focus onto the internet. One look at Steam will tell you that it is in a more than healthy state in that regard, and that is merely one outlet. I just looked on there 5 mins ago, and there are currently for PC: 193 action games, 60 adventure games, 133 strategy games, 53 roleplaying games, 61 indie games, 13 MMOs, 65 casual games, 55 family games, 44 simulators, 24 racing games and 13 sports games. There are also 99 games on there for the Apple Mac. You won't find them in a high street store, but that doesn't mean they aren't out there.Hardware for PCs is not moving forward in terms of processing speeds at anywhere near the rate that it used to, as evidenced by the fact that most manufacturers have had to shift to using multiple cores to get around hitting the buffers in terms of where they can go with miniaturisation, which had been the traditional way to get things to run faster and do more calculations, so the pressure is slightly off a flight sim in that traditional 'hardware demands' regard.Also note that that MS regarded FS to be its flagship 'game' not simply because it was Bill's pet, but also because it was a useful marketing tool. It was often employed to demonstrate how they were pushing things in terms of OS, being invariably closely tied to the release of a new version of the Windows operating system. As such, brands like MSFS have a quite considerable Dollar value beyond what they can pull in purely in standalone sales. Unlike many PC games, such as first-person shooters for example, where they have to fight against many competing titles, there was very little need to indulge in expensive product awareness advertising battles for new versions of FS, people already knew what FS did and were invariably eager to see the new version. Not forgetting too, that MS sold a hell of a lot of peripherals - especially Sidewinder joysticks - off the back of FS. The Sidewinder range was of course discontinued for a while, and did diversify into console territory, but when it relaunched in 2007, the first product was not an console controller... but the Sidewinder Mouse, which is an indication that they think PC gaming still has some mileage.Al

Several years ago, MS decided to come up with the Games for Windows initiative to help "promote" PC gaming. They also came up with Games for Windows Live deal that is similar to XBox Live and they wanted PC gamers to pay for it. Games that were GFWL compatible also had to be able to use the X360 controller along with being able to be played cross platform with the X360. Several games did that, but the problem was, the PC version had to be dumbed down and mechanics like auto-aim were used to even out the differences between a controller and mouse and keyboard.Still, PC gamers didn't want to cough up money like those with XBox live as there were already ways to have friends lists, find servers and download patches (and yes, nowadays console games get patched along with the consoles getting driver updates for both MS and Sony offerings) and for free.

PC games are nice and all but never underestimate the potential of standardized hardware. Developers don't need to draw a line in the sand like they need to do with PC games. They can also make higher performing CPUs for consoles given the fact the lot size is in the 10's of millions for a single design...PC games are good for one thing only... modding, and of course large primary and secondary storage. And that's the market we're really in, the actual "game" market is limited to whatever they could pulloff on the Xbox/PS3.

higher performing CPUs for consoles

actually the processor in console games are not better than in PCs. the reason a console game unit seems to have better performance is it doesn't have the OS overhead like a PC. consoles are not asked to do 10,000 things well like a PC.

but never underestimate the potential of standardized hardware

this is apple's idea for PCs and why so many folks love the machines ... only one builder and 'design and support' is more standardized.

PC games are good for one thing only... modding, and of course large primary and secondary storage.

have to agree with this. i spend more time playing 'under the hood' of FS than in the game. :( --

I remember reading somewhere about a online successor to FSX. Not really what I'm interested in...so I might turn more to Linux flightsimulators in the future.

I remember reading somewhere about a online successor to FSX. Not really what I'm interested in...so I might turn more to Linux flightsimulators in the future.

Outside of X-Plane what sims are you talking about? :(

It also means if there are bugs, there is no way for updates until the next version you buy in most cases.

Not true with the current generation of consoles. All 3 consoles have update (either auto or a choice) capabilities. Example: Red Dead Redemption was released and got its first patch to fix multiplayer issues 8 hours later.

Well, it's just difficult for me to take a game console seriously. Yes the new Wii stuff is amazing, but...I haven't seen anything like FS for a game console. Is that because there is no demand, or because they can't handle it. My guess would be both. I don't know, I'm just asking.Bob

I just love the fact that whenever a computer, technology or gaming magazine mentions anything about Microsoft and gaming, everyone gets their hopes up that MS will come out, or is coming out with a new version of our venerable Flight Simulator. To be perfectly honest, in a world of 1st person shoot-'em-ups, World of Warcraft or whatever mayhem based game is out there MS doesn't even consider FS (at least for the PC) to be a saleable commodity, except that they have to make new units of FSX available to sell, like they do with Office, Windows 7, etc. The only thing that's been published for sure is the ONE ad that MS was looking for people with 'real world piloting experience' and that there were possibly thinking of a platform for Windows Live. Since then... not a peep has been heard.IMHO folks... I think you need to stick with what you have and rest in the knowledge that FSX is going to be the Sim that will be out there for the forseeable future. Besides, based on everything that has been posted on every flight simulation forum in existence there isn't a computer out there that can run FSX to its full capability. Until hardware technology advances to the point where it can match software capability, live with what you've got and enjoy it.Many of you, once you look at my banner, will probably post with something along the lines of "What does he know... he's using outdated software anyway." And you all are absolutely right; I don't know anything - I'm just a nobody who runs FS 2002, on an outdated computer. The important thing is that with what I've got, I'm trying to enjoy the EXPERIENCE of Flight Simulation as best I can. Sure, I'd like to have the newest and greatest with REX, UTX, ORBX, PNW and all of the hot birds that are being released almost on a daily basis. But, I know that that day probably won't come, so I try to make do with what I have. In short, try to make the EXPERIENCE of Flight Simulation as enjoyable as possible. Besides, as new hardware becomes available I bet it will start to unlock the "real" capabilities of FSX, and I suspect that alone will make for some pretty happy campers out there.Signed,A Nobody in the FS community. :(