Hey Sven, I hope you're still reading through this thread. I wanted to point out some keys things that likely factored into the poor sales of DMC4 on the PC:
-It was released months after the 360/PS3 version, meaning PC gamers who have consoles (like me) would've already bought the game if they were interested in it. -DMC 4 just is not the type of game that would appeal to PC exclusive gamers. Just like console gamers are with RTS games, PC-only players have not acquired a taste for action games like DMC4 yet. -It's not on any digital distribution sites, this cuts out a significant amount of potential buyers. -There was no marketing for the game at all. I don't recall seeing an advertisement for DMC4 on the PC in magazines like Game Informeror EGM like I did for the console version.
By the way, I look forward to picking up SFIV on the PC :) .
-It was released months after the 360/PS3 version, meaning PC gamers who have consoles (like me) would've already bought the game if they were interested in it.
That is true, I picked up 360 version becouse I thought that there wont be any PC version
Another thing why DMC4 didnt do so well:
Lazy developers-
1) xbox360 buttions are still present in even if the controller is disconnected
2) No mouse support, many gamers wanted mouse but what they got is middle finger from capcom...AGAIN
I hope sales get better. Rough time of year, though, isn't it?
Anyhow, I have to say I was more than happy with my purchase of DMC4 for Windows, and it really has raised the bar for me when it comes to PC games. Fast, stable, system requirements that aren't outright lies, etc. Kapersky complained at the DRM initially, but that's been fixed. I didn't mind it being there since you guys didn't require any activation or registration - its been unobtrusive, hasn't caused any problems, etc. That's more than fair, in my opinion.
I don't know if you know or have read much of Brad Wardell's comments concerning piracy or selling games, but you might find them interesting. Wardell is the owner of Stardock, the company that published Sins as well as Galactic Civilizations, another niche title that sold quite well. Might be worth looking at, I think. Here's a recent one. Oh, and they've got their own distribution platform too (Impulse).
Anyhow, I've been telling folks how great it is at Gamespot, and its nice to see the critics are overall postive on the game save for two negative reviews from sites I've lost respect for (I simply cannot agree with them, their reasoning, or their harshness in rating). I'm looking forward to Street Fighter 4 for PC (still coming, right?), and am curious to see what else shows up in the future. I would like to say; cross platform play between PC and 360 is a selling point for me as I've got a good number of friends with 360's. Just something for your marketing and development guys :)
If only SNK supported the PC like this I'd be very, very content! All my favorites in one place :)
Hey Sven, I hope you're still reading through this thread. I wanted to point out some keys things that likely factored into the poor sales of DMC4 on the PC:
-It was released months after the 360/PS3 version, meaning PC gamers who have consoles (like me) would've already bought the game if they were interested in it. -DMC 4 just is not the type of game that would appeal to PC exclusive gamers. Just like console gamers are with RTS games, PC-only players have not acquired a taste for action games like DMC4 yet. -It's not on any digital distribution sites, this cuts out a significant amount of potential buyers. -There was no marketing for the game at all. I don't recall seeing an advertisement for DMC4 on the PC in magazines like Game Informeror EGM like I did for the console version.
By the way, I look forward to picking up SFIV on the PC :) .
I agree with the late release for the PC, I ended up buying it for my PS3 (I do have a XB360 but I don't fully trust it to be reliable enough since I experienced RRoD multiple times)even though I have a 24" 1920x1200 res monitor with Nvidia 8800 Ultra in my rig that I know it'll run great but my lusts for slashing, stabbing and killing demons were too hard to resist to wait for a better version.
Secondly, after experiencing really BAD PC ports of Devil may cry 3:SE and Onimushia 3 with minimum support for gamepads and had really bad textures (copy/pasta from console version) and it was really buggy until a patch came out. So bad past experience kinda pushed me to the PS3 version in a way. (I think Onimushia 3 had Starforce in the USA version, I even emailed customer support and they verified it. So I ended up buying the Imported JPN version that didn't have SF.)
Granted RE 4 for the PC wasn't done by Capcom but the port for that was pretty dismal, using the PS2 videos for the cut scenes instead of in game engine. It's still Capcom's property so in a way the perception of porting game to the PC was bad.
The only thing that I really give props for Capcom PC port was Lost Planet (wonder why only STEAM?) but there's no way I'm shelling out money again for the Colony Edition when I already own the first version and I don't like how Steam version is obsolete now but that's a small gripe nothing that will keep a grudge.
I'm glad that Capcom is trying for the PC market and I hope it succeed so I can get away from the console market for certain games, but one or two good ports will not make me want to hold out for the PC version (unless the console version was utter crap in the first place) in high hopes that the PC version will do it justice.
Face it, its not just Capcom that made bad ports to the PC in the past and dedicated PC gamers that held off on the original console version (either didn't have the console or wanted higher graphics/resolutions/sound) got burnt getting second irate helpings. So in my case I ended buying every console to experience the games best possible so I don't have to experience second best so it's going to take little more to gain my trusts again and that also applies to Square Enix as well.
It's getting really expensive for me to keep buying the latest PC upgrades and buying every new generation of consoles (safe for another 4 years except the PC...uhgg) to keep on playing the games that I love (yes I know it's my choice).
So if more (console) gaming publishers end up supporting the PC and doing it correctly, my wallet can actually buy more games instead of using it to buy every consoles and more publishers can get more sales (well from me at least) on games evenly instead of yea I only have enough money for one or two games. Even though I want to buy more games that I want, but by the time I have enough money the next new game comes out and the older games will be forgotten and I have to choose which one or two games again.
It's the never ending problem where you want all the pies but the plate can only hold so much at a time.
In another case depends on the PC version of DMC4 reviews I may end up just selling my PS3 version and get the PC one since I have to upscale my monitor to get it on full screen (1080p) on the PS3 version since it only goes up to 720p. So does the PC version have any intrusive DRM like Starforce-(ProActive,Frontline)/Securom/Sony rootkit and or have activation, call home to activate every so days(besides serial key)?
Sorry for my long rant, and I can't believe I registered just to give my input.
In FPS, I stopped shooting while jumping, for my crotch can't take the abuse anymore. Darn noobs with their auto aims... my precious it hurts us.
Don't like the job they did? Become a developer yourself. Developers don't get all the time, money and staffing they want you know. And its quite possible they tried doing mouse control and thought it wasn't good enough to be included. As is, DMC4 is far superior to a LOT of the "boxed betas" you can find on store shelves.
Well I loved DMC4 on the PC best version by far (even sold my PS3 copy as could not see myself ever playing it on anything except the PC). Playing DMC4 on my HDTV it looks & plays insane some of it is very cinematic plus the performance is so good as well (unlike may other companies PC products).
Capcom have some of the most talented PC coders & artists on the planet.
But you should have included the same protection system as Alone In The Dark 2008 as that is still not cracked or Mass Effect or even Bioshock. All of these protection systems offer a better way to delay people from pirating your PC games. It is obvious by now that you cannot trust immature PC gamers to not pirate something if it appears as a Torrent.
Even Steam authentication like you did for the first release of Lost Planet would have helped.
I hope Capcom keep faith in the PC and allow Resident Evil5 to be made for it. Dead Rising as well would be popular but again you probably need to use a tougher protection system otherwise the pirates will just abuse your good faith.
Anyhow, I have to say I was more than happy with my purchase of DMC4 for Windows, and it really has raised the bar for me when it comes to PC games. Fast, stable, system requirements that aren't outright lies, etc. Kapersky complained at the DRM initially, but that's been fixed. I didn't mind it being there since you guys didn't require any activation or registration - its been unobtrusive, hasn't caused any problems, etc. That's more than fair, in my opinion.
Thanks...
I don't know if you know or have read much of Brad Wardell's comments concerning piracy or selling games, but you might find them interesting. Wardell is the owner of Stardock, the company that published Sins as well as Galactic Civilizations, another niche title that sold quite well. Might be worth looking at, I think. Here's a recent one. Oh, and they've got their own distribution platform too (Impulse).
I know of Brad and actually we both participate on another board out there. CEI has a contract in place with Stardock for Impulse so you'll see our content popping up there as we start rolling it out. It's one of about a dozen DD partners we have (and climbing).
I'm looking forward to Street Fighter 4 for PC (still coming, right?) and am curious to see what else shows up in the future.
Yep.
I would like to say; cross platform play between PC and 360 is a selling point for me as I've got a good number of friends with 360's. Just something for your marketing and development guys :)
I'll keep that in mind.
Christian Svensson
Now Playing: WoW, Fat Princess, MvC2, Magic: The Gathering, Age of Booty (360)
So does the PC version have any intrusive DRM like Starforce-(ProActive,Frontline)/Securom/Sony rootkit and or have activation, call home to activate every so days(besides serial key)? Sorry for my long rant, and I can't believe I registered just to give my input.
DMC4 uses disc-based SecuROM in a very basic implimentation.
Future titles from CEI will be using network Auth SecuROM, but our implimentation will be different than what you've seen elsewhere.
I think what people don't take into consideration is how many times something phones home (or whether it does at all after initial install) is entirely up to the publisher. The number of allowed installs is entirely up to the publisher. How tripwires are implimented and how gameplay degrades is entirely up to the publisher (and developer to integrate). The fact that you can release installs, and get them back to install again elsewhere is a communications and education issue (there isn't a finite number of installs, there's a finite number of concurrent installs, just for example). There's offline mode support.
There's a wide number of variables and communications issues with DRM and it's not an easy thing by any stretch.
Christian Svensson
Now Playing: WoW, Fat Princess, MvC2, Magic: The Gathering, Age of Booty (360)
So does the PC version have any intrusive DRM like Starforce-(ProActive,Frontline)/Securom/Sony rootkit and or have activation, call home to activate every so days(besides serial key)? Sorry for my long rant, and I can't believe I registered just to give my input.
DMC4 uses disc-based SecuROM in a very basic implimentation.
Future titles from CEI will be using network Auth SecuROM, but our implimentation will be different than what you've seen elsewhere.
I think what people don't take into consideration is how many times something phones home (or whether it does at all after initial install) is entirely up to the publisher. The number of allowed installs is entirely up to the publisher. How tripwires are implimented and how gameplay degrades is entirely up to the publisher (and developer to integrate). The fact that you can release installs, and get them back to install again elsewhere is a communications and education issue (there isn't a finite number of installs, there's a finite number of concurrent installs, just for example). There's offline mode support.
There's a wide number of variables and communications issues with DRM and it's not an easy thing by any stretch.
I think this is the best way to go as Capcom should be getting very healthy sales as they are putting some great PC products out like DMC4, Lost Planet & LP Colonies (all I own on the PC and they are superior in every way to the console versions). Yet sadly people can pirate them so easily unfortunately ,improved DRM will help greatly and the only people with anything to fear are the people who will not buy PC games until forced to. I personally have had no issues whatsoever with the protection on Bioshock, AITD 2008, Lost Planet (steam authenticated version). Sven you may want to contact the reviewers of these 2 articles as even though the PC version of DMC4 is the best they have given lower scores than the console version which is very strange & illogical!
