PC Gaming: The Rise, Fall and Resurgence of a Gaming Community.
The first time anyone ever heard of a “PC gamer”, people thought it was some kind of alien or something. How could someone be a fan of computers for gaming? It seemed so counterintuitive, almost laughable. Who would have thought the genre of gaming would come to dominate the gaming industry today?
It all started with the very first game, Spacewar – a game that defined the early days of gaming. Created in 1962, Spacewar pitted two players in a science-fiction-style space battle. It might have been primitive by today’s standards, but it showed the public that computer-based gaming could be engaging and fun. It was the spark that ignited what would become the PC gaming community.
The years that followed marked the dawn of the consumer era. Computers became widely available, and with them, came gaming. Nintendo’s Famicom and the Commodore 64, released in 1983, both made a lasting impact on the gaming world. But it was the mid-1980s when PC gaming really began to take hold, thanks in part to the release of games such as SpaceQuest, King’s Quest and The Bard’s Tale.
As the 80s drew to a close, PC gaming exploded. The release of iconic games such as Doom, Warcraft and Command & Conquer dominated the charts and swelled the ranks of the PC gaming community. It seemed that nothing could slow the growth of the PC gaming industry, and companies such as ID Software, Sierra and Westwood were riding a wave of success.
But the 90s presented a problem. It seemed that the PC gaming industry had peaked too soon. Consoles such as the Sega Genesis and Sony PlayStation started to take a chunk out of the market with their flashy graphics and cheaper prices. Developers found it increasingly difficult to stand out amidst the sea of games available for both PC and console. As a result, PC gaming fell out favour, and by the turn of the century, it had become a niche genre.
However, the past decade has seen the revival of PC gaming. With the emergence of digital distribution services such as Steam, gamers have been able to access an ever-expanding library of titles. Advanced hardware such as graphics cards and more powerful processors have also allowed for advances in game design and graphics. These have helped to give PC gaming an edge over its console counterparts.
The rise of esports has further cemented PC gaming as a part of global culture. Games such as Counter-Strike, League of Legends and Dota 2 have seen their player bases grow exponentially, while major tournaments held around the world have attracted millions of viewers online. With the steady growth of streaming services such as Twitch, the popularity of PC gaming is only set to rise.
Today, PC gaming is more popular than ever. It has come a long way from its humble beginnings and is poised to become the dominant force in the gaming industry. With a vast library of titles, varied gaming experiences and sophisticated hardware, there’s no limit to what PC gamers can expect from their favourite pastime.
The PC gaming community has had its ups and downs, but it is undoubtedly here to stay. This is one genre of gaming that will never go out of style – and judging by how far it has come, that’s something to be celebrated.
“PC Gaming: The Rise, Fall and Resurgence of a Gaming Community.”