Anti-Splitscreen People are Holding the PC Back

I was just reading threads about how "splitscreen if for poor people." And, "splitscreen is only for inferior consoles." Or, "splitscreen is dumb because we can play online."

It's thinking like this that keeps consoles alive.

PCs outclass consoles in every conceivable way except local multiplayer. Why are you ok with being beaten by the console peasants in such a simple thing?

Consoles are still typically a living room appliance, whereas PCs are usually off in some other part of the house. No one wants to put 4 towers in their living room and 4 displays just so a few friends or siblings can play together. I use a 91 inch display and will absolutely never own a console. Then I go and spend $60 on new games and can't have anyone over to play and enjoy my superior gaming machine with me. I'm forced to play alone because "there is no market for split screen." Well there is a market, but it's stuck to consoles because PC gamers won't bring the fight to consoles on their own turf, IN THE LIVING ROOM.

PCs outclass consoles in power, in upgradablity, in storage, types of media accepted and outputed, types of input and output devices, form factor and usage ( video-editing, web design, work, school) and on and on...

If we want to destroy consoles, we have to beat them in the living room. But the average console buyer would never consider a PC because a PC is a solo rig.

nope, stay away from my solo experience!

Anti splitscreen people?

Never seen any of them.

Why would anyone be against something you can choose not to use? . choice and options are supposed to be the primary life blood of the pc

The developers decision to not include it in many games is not becauseof the gamers its the devs that still falsly think the pc is still only a solo experience

Saying that I still have had plenty of local coop splitscreen and hotseat gaming over the past 25 years so its still about

The amount of users that would genuinely use split screen is infinitesimally small there is just no point developers considering it

I can see that. But it gets me when a game already has a functional split-screen mode that is actually stripped out for the PC release. That's just silly.

I don't think so. It really depends on the game. I've seen tons of Rocket League players using the split-screen feature in multiplayer matches, including myself. It's probably not a significant fraction of the players, but I think if it were missing from the game, the game would feel a little lacking.

I'm getting to the point where I'll automatically buy a game on PC if it has split-screen. It's a crucial feature to me. And if it belongs anywhere, it belongs on PC. We have multi-monitor setups, large amounts of extra power for that extra rendering, and the multitude of control options.

It's a shame PC gaming has to be so...disconnected. Would be nice if more devs considered its capability for social gaming experiences. But I can't complain because I'm noticing more and more split-screen games coming out lately, thank the PC gaming gods. Kickstarter and early access titles are really saving the day in this regard. Once Victor Vran releases local coop component, I'm picking that up for sure.

Ya the only redeaming factor I saw in battlefront the battlefield mod by Dice was it's split screen. Now the pc version won't have it and the only reason I would have even considered buying the so not battlefront from Dice is now gone. I've seen so many say it's not needed or they don't care because they wouldn't use it on a pc. But many would take advantage of it and so would I. The fact split screen isn't a thing on consoles or pc is kind of a sad telling of where the industry is. They don't want you playing together with one copy of the game. They want you to buy two copies and two machines and play miles away from each other.

And so sick of consoles getting the split screen and pc ports having it taken out for zero fucking reason other then to save time. Battlefront, resident evil, and so many more have done this. My pc is so much more capable so why the **** would you even bother taking it out? Pc is about options and lots of them, so why in the hell are developers taking options away?

I only let my fiancee anywhere near my rig. Anyone else has to "look with their eyes and not touch" So yeah I'm really okay with no split screen. That's what going to my mates house and playing on his xbone is for.

I use split screen where available in PC games and wish more featured it. I guess devs just don't think it's worth their time though as not enough people would use it. I can understand that so it's normally the Wii U or N64 that comes out when friends are over!

How does it feel to be poor?

Agreed. I think it depends on the game and the target audience. My friend's kids all play Minecraft splitscreen on one console. Sports games are big on this as well.

-Byshop

But on PC Klunt is right, it's such a small minority that developers don't bother with it.

oh besides, asking for split screen is so peasantry

split monitors... now we are talking.

What are you trying to say - only a small minority of PC gamers have friends? Give yourselves more credit

What does the word "friends" mean ? :P

I'm not against splitscreen, I'm just saying that in PC Land it's a small minority. Especially if both play with KB/MS (not very comfortable and not much room most of the time for 2 of each)

Yeah, I'd say that's fair, too. Not everyone has their gaming rig hooked up to a monitor -and- an entertainment system/TV.

-Byshop

Also, PC gaming isn't "disconnected" like KH said.

There are more communities/guilds/groups etc on PC than both consoles put together, and if you really want to play with a friend in the same room, just use laptops.

All you need is a monitor and two controllers. Everybody owns those. You guys act like it's super complicated. All my friends play splitscreen lol. It's easy as pie. And so much more fun than playing by yourself. Get your girl, a friend, or a family member and get him/her to play Rayman Legends with you. Then sitting around by yourself playing time sinks like The Witcher 3 seem much less appealing.

Obviously, but many people's office/computer setups are not conducive to multiple players sitting around a PC monitor. I have adult friends, and convincing them to sit on the floor around a computer desk to play a splitscreen game is a non-starter. Sitting comfortably on the couch playing splitscreen on a big screen TV or projector? That's another story, but again not everyone has their PC set up to do that whereas almost everyone has their console set up for such play. That was the point.

-Byshop

But not everyone plays with controllers. (hence not everyone owns them). And you are comparing apples and oranges.

Playing with friends can be fun (I sometimes go to friend FIFA tournaments), but playing single player can also be very rewarding. Each has it's pros and cons.

Totally depends on the game.

You can't really play RTS, MMOs, MOBAs etc on a split-screen system with the same account.

And stop the shit with "I hope u guys get to enjoy this". We can enjoy best of each world. We can play online with friends, or single player, or go to a friends house with a laptop or desktop and play together.

I guess if you purposefully set up your PC in some hole in the wall in the dusty corner of your basement or something....

Not hard to just throw a couch in room with the PC. It's what I did at least. Most of my friends have their PC's intregrated with their entertainment centers these days. And even if they don't, they know it takes 5 minutes to disconnect a few wires and move your PC to where your entertainment center. Once again, not complicated. I fear the hermit mentality people associate with PC's. There's no reason PC gaming has to be so lonely.

I suppose if you don't have a decent entertainment center in the first place, it might be troublesome, but that's why you buy one and plan hooking the PC up to it. Consoles don't have nearly as much split-screening as it used to, PC gaming is actually a really good system for playing with friends (emulators, tons of splitscreen coop indie games, many sports titles, or even just taking turns playing Battlefield or CS:GO). It's a much more appealing experience to me than, sitting around like a bunch of dorks wearing Occulus' or lugging around tons of PC gear.

Ah c'mon, everyone owns a controller - who hasn't owned a PS3, 360, or PS4 in the past? Many PC games warrant a controller.

Anyways, my point is that plenty of people use the PC for gaming with friends. Consoles are more popular for kids, but once I got older I'm finding everyone huddling around PC's these days when gaming. I don't know why people would avoid using a PC when gaming in the same room with friends. It's great for it.

I think it might be an age thing too. Older people aren't really used to the idea - but many college students these days often combine their entertainment center with their PC to save money and space (the ones who don't want to settle for laptops).

We don't. I played Heroes of the Storm last night for 3 hours with 2 of my friends. The night before I played Hearthstone against another friend, and don't even get me started on the amount of fun we had with Battlefield .

Only hermit mentality here is yours which for some reason makes you think that if we don't play Rayman with a controller and another person in the same room then we have no friends, we only play single player games and our PCs are "in some hole in the wall in the dusty corner of your basement or something....".

I think you my friend are more out of touch with PC gaming then both of us. PC gamers play as much socially as console gamers (I would even say more), we just have different options to do so.

No offense, but when advising people I've noticed that you have a tendancy to assume that everyone's setup or situation is basically like yours but they come in all kinds of different setups and situations. A PC doesn't have to be in some "hole in the wall" or "dusty corner of your basement" to not be in a great space for entertaining company. Remember that some people actually use them for more than just gaming. A home office is a common place to keep your most powerful PC and whether or not a couch fits in there depends entirely on your living situation.

You've seen my setup, but here are the latest photos:

http://imgur.com/a/Eutex

The tower is in the lower right because that makes the most sense. It's out of the way,and I have access to the left side of the tower if I need it while the motherboard's side is to the wall. Getting in and out of there to remove the tower is a huge pain in the ass and (a few cables) is closer to about a dozen and I have to plug them in near blind because I don't have easy access to the back of the computer. There's no fucking way I'm ripping out the four video connections, all the USB connections, all the audio connections, etc just to move the tower into another room because friends are coming over. If that were my only option, I'd sooner build another PC for the other room. What I did instead was install HDMI jacks and create a run between the office and the room where my man cave is complete with full receiver, 5.1 speaker setup (mostly Klipsch) and a 1080p 3D projector on an 80" screen. I'm covered as far as running my PC both in my office and in the entertainment center room, but I get that most people do not.

-Byshop

Gaming with friends online is one thing, but really it provides limited social interaction compared to actually hanging out with people in real life. You're the ones making excuses why PC gaming might be inconvenient for splitscreen or local multiplayer gaming, but it's only inconvenient because you guys make it so. Or just don't have real life PC gaming friends (which isn't anyone's fault, nor is it a huge deal).

Really, it's sad to even compare the two and even worse to act like it's the same thing. That's why I'm worried many of you might be hermits.

Honestly, most people I know don't have ridiculously dense setups like yours. I don't why you're pretending the majority of PC gaming have huge cumbersome setups only catered to entertain a single person. Some people do, but most? C'mon. There's no way most people have their PC's setup like yours. For most people I've met, it's not hell for them to simply unplug their PC from the wall and move it to another room in the house if their office room was cramped.

But like I said, we all know different people. I'm friends with mostly younger people in college or just coming out of college - to all these people integrating the setups made sense. I don't know anybody who has an office and sticks their gaming PC in it. I know people who have offices for their business laptops and PC's, but they stick their gaming PC's elsewhere.

Basically, to sum up the arguments against why PC splitscreen gaming can't be popular: "I designed my PC setup to only entertain myself". There's no reason why people have to do that though. Especially with all the options the PC provides. I think PC gaming on big-screens and in the living room is going to become a lot more popular with time. PC gaming setups in the office will be a thing of the past.

Like Byshop said, you have an opinion on people and tend to generalize everyone into that same category.

With consoles, it's roughly the same in every household. It's in the TV/lounge room connected to a TV.

With PCs, there are many more variants (Home Theatre room, Study, Basement, Portable Laptop, Tablets, etc etc).

I have played with my PC friends both online and in the same room.

Thankfully laptops aren't as expensive as they used to be, and social games like Heroes of the Storm don't require a super computer to run (heck, it can run on a tablet). Splitscreen wouldn't work on these types of games anyway (and many others). Remember, consoles have a selection of games that work with split-screen, and PC does as well... but PC also has a huge selection of games that aren't on console that wouldn't work with split-screen (RTS, MOBAs, MMOs etc), so hence why online is the main way to go with PC Gaming.

Who specifically am I generalizing into the same category? You're generalizing that most PC gamers aren't interested in split-screen gaming. If anything, aren't you the one making the generalizations?

I'm just saying based on my experience: there is no typical setup. And if there is a typical setup - it's probably not like Byshop's. People mix PC's and their TV's all the time. There's no good reason not to. Less and less these days am I seeing huge expensive setups dedicated to entertaining one person in cramped spaces. It's not as inconvenient or rare for people to split-screen as you guys make it out to be. Halo wouldn't have been nearly as popular among kids and young adults if not for its dedication to supporting split-screen for the amount of time it has.

Split-screen added to more titles wouldn't go unappreciated. And seeing the trend, I wouldn't be surprised if split-screen becomes a lot more popular.

"Who specifically am I generalizing into the same category?"

- Things like "your PC must be in a hole in a basement" or "hermit mentality" or "I wish you guys get to experience playing with friends" or "why don't you just unplug your PC and take it to the lounge room (not that easy when you have 30 cables all cable tied perfectly), or "everyone has a gamepad" or...... list goes on.

"You're generalizing that most PC gamers aren't interested in split-screen gaming."

- I never said that. I said that split-screen is a MINORITY on the PC Platform, hence why developers don't make most games with support for it.

"I'm just saying based on my experience: there is no typical setup"

- There isn't, but most of the time a desktop sits in a study since, like Byshop said, a PC isn't just used for gaming. Hence why there are laptops/tablet for portable PCs.

"It's not as inconvenient or rare for people to split-screen as you guys make it out to be."

- It is on PC. Just because you and your friends do it, there is probably a ratio of 100 to 1 for those that do. Most just play online. And if they want to game with friends, laptops is the way to go. (always remember that most games on PC wouldn't work with splitscreen)

"I wouldn't be surprised if split-screen becomes a lot more popular."

- Hopefully, but people that use it will still be the minority, whether you want to admit it or not.

REMEMBER, it's not just about setups, it's also about game titles and how most of them on PC wouldn't work with splitscreen.

I'm really not going to pick apart everything what you just wrote, but I'll just say often your projected insecurities are interfering with your reading comprehension. I never said his PC must be in a hole in a basement. I said it would be only be inconvenient to game with friends if you purposefully put your rig in a hole in a basement. You're essentially creating arguments out of thin air just for the sake of being defensive, and often reek mentality that what you do must be what the vast majority is doing.

And then things like this....

"You're generalizing that most PC gamers aren't interested in split-screen gaming."

- I never said that. I said that split-screen is a MINORITY on the PC Platform, hence why developers don't make most games with support for it.

If you're saying only a minority of PC gamers are interested in split-screen, then you're generalizing that most PC gamers aren't interested in split-screen gaming. Contradiction?

"I'm just saying based on my experience: there is no typical setup"

- There isn't, but most of the time a desktop sits in a study since, like Byshop said, a PC isn't just used for gaming. Hence why there are laptops/tablet for portable PCs.

You do realize that saying "most of the time" is the same thing as saying "typically". Once again, you're contradicting yourself...

And as far that - I don't know a ton of people who uses the same PC for gaming that they use for school and office work. Most people I personally have a laptop for that they bring around with them everywhere. I think the idea that everyone puts their primary gaming rig in an office room is something I haven't actually seen any evidence for. I think some people do, some people don't. Hell - I'd wager the portion of PC gamers who own a house with an office probably already is a minority in itself...

"It's not as inconvenient or rare for people to split-screen as you guys make it out to be."

- It is on PC. Just because you and your friends do it, there is probably a ratio of 100 to 1 for those that do. Most just play online. And if they want to game with friends, laptops is the way to go. (always remember that most games on PC wouldn't work with splitscreen)

"I wouldn't be surprised if split-screen becomes a lot more popular."

- Hopefully, but people that use it will still be the minority, whether you want to admit it or not.

Let's create a poll. I'd be willing to wager your 100:1 ratio just shows how far you're disconnected from the mentality of most PC gamers today.

The 100:1 ratio was just a made up number, basically to say that most PC gamers won't need splitscreen to enjoy gaming with friends.

Again, it's amazing how you miss all the important bits of each person's replies to you.

Here they are in summary to see if we can get you back on track:

1) Desktop PCs can't just be moved around like laptops or consoles (which have 2 cables).

2) Desktop PCs most of the time aren't in a lounge room where there is room for a few friends to sit around a big TV. They are in studies or other rooms since they are not just used for gaming.

3) Not every PC gamer plays with a controller, so setting up 2 or more sets of KB/MS is uncomfortable and you need the space. (and the game has to be able to support more than one set)

4) Probably even more important than the previous points; Most PC Games wouldn't work with splitscreen (is this notion that hard to grasp?). Even FPS that work fine on consoles with split screen wouldn't work on PC cause most PC Gamers use a KB/MS for them.

Is that clear enough?

1) Yet it's not that difficult for most people...

2) These days I don't think that's as often the case.

3) Most PC gamers own controllers

4) Most PC gamers are willing to use controllers for certain games. That's why most PC games these days have controller support.

All these arguments suck and aren't rooted in any factual basis. You insist PC gamers don't use controllers, yet almost every PC game has controller support...

You also insist PC gamers don't put their PC's in their lounge, yet a lot of PC gamers I've met do exactly that.

Man you're thick sometimes.

You are totally missing the whole point of this conversation, and I don't have the energy to keep repeating myself to see if you understand it.

It's pretty simple really. Most popular PC games wouldn't work with splitscreen, and if splitscreen was so popular on PC then more developers would take it onboard. If you can't understand that, I can't make it any more simpler.

Have a great day.

@KHAndAnime: You're missing the point. The default setup for a console is to hook it to an entertainment system which is generally surrounded by seating, coffee table, etc. The default for a computer is to hook it up at a desk in an office, work area or bedroom. Sure, there are exceptions in both directions but that's the standard config for most people for each of those platforms. Large screen and shared seating lends itself well to splitscreen. Workstation/desk area on a 30" (if you have a nice setup but smaller than that for most) is not. When you make statements like "I guess if you purposefully set up your PC in some hole in the wall in the dusty corner of your basement or something...." that's dismissive at best and makes it sound like there's no middle ground when in reality there are a ton of different setup types where entertaining around a computer doesn't make sense. Suggestions like "throw a couch in the room" ignores all the different types of setups, room configurations, living situations, etc that people might have. This is what we mean by "generalizations".

Hell, take a look at the subreddit Battlestations. On average, how many of those look like they are hooked up in common areas where there's comfortable seating for multiple people versus how many of those look like they are set up in offices and bedrooms?

I have my main gaming rig hooked up to my projector. I also have a gaming laptop I can move from room to room and use with Steam streaming for more demanding games. In prior setups, my main gaming rig was hooked up to the largest TV in the house or I maintained multiple comprable gaming rigs. However, I recognize that my setups and situations are atypical.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. I'm staying near Pioneer Square and the crackheads/sirens are being particularly loud tonight. This is loud even by Manhattan standards.

-Byshop

@FelipeInside: Please refrain from making personal insults.

-Byshop

That wasn't an insult, far from it. (I don't insult people unless I'm at a football game, lol).

It's just that KH can get "difficult" at times if that's a more tamed word.

Not just with me, but with everyone, he tends to have his own views and not accept any other opinions or suggestions.

I called him "thick" not because of his brain level, but because he simply continues to ignore thinking about other things except his own opinions (thick as in a person who will not see any other way).

If it was taken as an insult, I apologize.

But Rocket League

I much prefer to bring a big HDTV to my den (wall-mount it, even) than bring my PC to the living room even though I had actually done it (the latter) and posted about it in the past.

Nowadays, I see much much more people tuned in to their "individual" devices than game together in the living room where split-screen gaming is most common.

Dont want split screen for pc? DONT USE IT! simple as that. But let us pc users have the option of using split screen. And with multimonitor setup, cmon guys. Consoles lag like crap when using split screen and you know it

Uh.....

Who's stopping you? It's not like we're asking developers to not implement split-screen.

Out of all the back and forth not one person has even bothered to mention you can buy a $50 streaming pc to stream your steam or other games too your living room television. Several exist, and at very reasonable prices and if you have decent wifi or use a cat6 cable there aren't too many issues outside of the basic issues all streaming has.

Literally 50 dollars some wireless controllers and your set. Hell I don't understand this whole keyboard and mouse argument, only time I really use them is when I'm playing competitively online other then that it's my 360 controller every time unless it's an RTS or something. Hell I haven't used a keyboard and mouse for anything but an RTS since I stopped playing battlefield 4's online the summer before they fixed the game to a proper state.

I run a hdmi through the wall to the room it's in and too the living room television, and use a second wireless mouse, keyboard and a wireless 360 controller to play it all the time. If split screen was a thing I'd be using the tv a hell of a lot more then simply having it as an option, and opting for my bed and the 1440p computer screen as the go too.

It's referred to as a PERSONAL COMPUTER for a reason...

Question, if this is a console vs pc thread why is it in the pc forum and now sw?

1) Less and less console games support split screen.

2) splitscreen is shit .... multi monitors is better.

... so nobody cares.

Anti Splitscreen people ? First time i heard of em

Who exactly opposes split screen ? If anything some games like L4D that omitted split screen on pc pc gamers found a way to enable split screen

i wish consoles would stay a console like in the ps2 era instead of becoming a crappy low end wanna be pc with no split screen

What about us, "couldn't care less about split-screen one way or the other," people? If a game offers split-screen, I'll never use it but I certainly wouldn't get upset about its mere existence. I can't imagine anyone would. Who exactly are these "anti split-screen" people? I have honestly never come across one.

splitscreen isn't big on pc because of many reasons but pc gamers is not one of them. i see a few lan parties but everyone is playing dota, lol, or counter-strike.

a shitty ten-year-old laptop can play those games, i see no why reason splitscreen is such a big issue. i play splitscreen when friends come to my house, but usually they bring their own laptops so we can play the above, or tf2 (all free games btw, except cs:go which is $5 250 days of the year).

the pc gaming community did not grow up so much around FIFA and mario kart and street fighter as much as it did around doom, quake, half-life, counter-strike, warcraft, dota, tf2...

honestly, who doesn't have a shitty laptop? given the opportunity to play together in the same room pc gamers often choose those games i just mentioned, rather than split-screen... halo? world of warcraft? civilization V? i don't know even know which splitscreen games are good on console, let alone how pc games would benefit.

ofcourse, if i own a splitscreen game (like rocket league) i might play it in splitscreen, but usually that's just not what anyone wants to play.