Microsoft Game Studios: "We Need to Step up" PC Gaming Efforts

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Microsoft Games Studios' general manager Dave Luehmann has addressed criticisms of Microsoft's commitment to PC gaming in an interview with MCV, saying that "It is our job to lead the way on PC" but conceding "we need to step up."

"There's been a fair bit of criticism aimed at Microsoft that we were spending a lot of our focus on console, and we need to be putting resources behind PC as well," Luehmann said. "Other companies should look to Microsoft for leadership, but I'm not sure they do. It is our job to lead the way on PC. And in some ways we are doing that and in other ways we are not. So we need to step up."

"We are putting some real investment and big IPs behind the Windows platform," he insists, including the PC port of Fable 3 as well as recently-announced Microsoft Flight and free-to-play Age of Empires Online. "However we are not going to stop there."

While Luehmann's sentiments are welcome, it's difficult to feel reassured when one of the three games he mentioned, Fable 3, was delayed indefinitely on PC only last month. MS promised news on its release date "soon" but this has still yet to arrive.

From The Chatty
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    September 24, 2010 6:11 AM

    Soon the big corporatrion will learn the ways of the 90, get over the console craze , it's PC that's coming back , and DNF , Crysis 2 , Doom4 leads the way.

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      September 24, 2010 6:17 AM

      the console craze isn't going anywhere and all those games you listed are focused on the console, haha

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      September 24, 2010 6:22 AM

      Exactly. Consoles won't exist in 10 years time.

      Hopefully MS get left behind.

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      September 24, 2010 6:46 AM

      lol...you listed 100% FPS games...

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        September 24, 2010 7:01 AM

        He did and not only that but ALL THREE of those games have been dumbed down to run on consoles, don't get me wrong I'm all PC but those three games are VERY poor examples of what represents PC.

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          September 24, 2010 7:10 AM

          How do you know so much about DOOM 4?

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            September 24, 2010 7:43 AM

            I don't and I realized that when I commented, I was thinking of RAGE. Can you forgive me?

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          September 24, 2010 8:29 AM

          I'm not sure about DNF, but id and Crytek make spectacular PC games, so I'm not worried that they'll be dumbed down. Unless you mean that the console versions will be dumbed down only. From how you wrote it it could be taken either way.

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            September 24, 2010 9:02 AM

            I love Crytek games but after seeing the recent videos for Crysis 2 one cant help but to notice its more of a console FPS, just watching the videos gave me a feel of killzone 2 or resistance, those are not bad games but they are definitely console FPS. As for DNF the two weapon limit is a small example of being console focused, they claim they had to adapt to console controls for the weapon selection. I don't know about anyone else but having every weapon at my disposal in DN3D sure wasn't fun, PLEASE include realism in a Duke game because that what i want.

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          September 24, 2010 10:50 AM

          HINT: Duke Nukem Forever for Consoles isn't done yet. Only the PC version is. Sure is DUMBED DOWN for consoles :rolleyes:

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      September 24, 2010 7:43 AM

      haha, you named console ports as PC leaders.

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        September 24, 2010 8:36 AM

        Doom and Crysis are not console ports. I'm wondering now if you even know why we call some games console ports. Just because it's released on a console as well does not mean it's a 'port'. It's about how the developer supports FOV, widescreen resolutions, menus, control options, graphical options, mods, and the gaming community. A console port is something that arrives on consoles first, and then the PC version is release at a later date and lacks most if not all of the above list, then is promptly forgotten/ abandoned. id and Crytek are not like that. They put a good amount of time into their PC games.

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      September 24, 2010 10:49 AM

      None of the said games are console ports, you guys just not in the show to know much , Doom4 will be a PC game since it's ID , and the only game ID software confirmed it has Xbox tools on PC is one of the wolfenstein games.

      DNF is again , a total PC game. YOu guys just don't have an idea , stop reading IGN / Wall streat / Gametrailers articles , ... if you want true duke info , that Gearbox forums , 3Drealms forums , shacknews, if you looked anywhere else , you have the wrong info.

      Crysis 2 is also a native PC game , but Crytek opted to not make the creativites and stuff that COULDN'T be done on consoles , for example , if they can't get the flyable jet working on xbox , it won't be done for the PC either , so that kind of sucks , and crytek recevied a bunch of complaints, that is real consolization , but it's not CONSOLE CODE , it's still a PC game technically. Also note they said it won't be so much that can't be done so it's... not a big deal , you might not know me well , I am hardcore for the PC , and i just picked these games , come on , i know RTS and RPGs , they were my child starting roots in gaming , i started with Dune 2000 , AOE2 ... RA2 ... GEN ZH ... civilization , settlers , anno , warcraft 2.... etc

      These are just the game that have a chance on the PC , now i do know , other games such as Starcraft 2 and Civilization going to help a lot too.

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        September 24, 2010 10:52 AM

        And my terribe terrible disappoint at you shackers , DNF's home is on shacknews , the most and only true info you'll find is right here , and you don't know , DNF is a PC game 100%.

        But I agree , it's similar to Crysis 2 issue , it has "creative constrains" , but , DNF development team can still make PC version UNIQUE , while crytek is stubborn.

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          September 24, 2010 10:55 AM

          Specifically the 2weapon issue , which , I do very very well know about it's the idea that i support it's going to cripple the PC version and originality as a whole. I have done a lot of discussions about this on gearbox forums and elsewhere, i have contributed to PC cause.

          Do not worry , i am on the PC side for sure.

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            September 24, 2010 10:58 AM

            Okay i admit i just wasn't in the area of Half files , particlualry valve , and bethesda.... so okay , Fallout too is a PC game for sure.

            If anyone was ... felt ... non credited. P

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