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Capcom: PC retail is 'falling away'

By Tom Magrino, GameSpotPosted Mar 5, 2009 9:48 am PT

Strategic-planning exec Christian Svensson says digital distribution is key part of publisher's strategy to improve desktop consumer experience.

At last year's Game Developers Conference 2008, a consortium of PC-centric companies including Microsoft, Intel, IBM, Nvidia, and others, said that they would be banding together to create the PC Gaming Alliance. A nonprofit organization, the group's expressed goals were centered on "advancing the PC as a worldwide gaming platform."

Christian Svensson

One of the newest members to join the PCGA is Capcom. In an interview with Rock, Paper, Shotgun, Capcom's vice president of strategic planning Christian Svensson expanded on the publisher's decision to join the organization, saying that the PCGA is necessary because retailers aren't adequately supporting the PC gaming environment.

"One of the problems, to be candid, is that retail is falling away," said Svensson. "What are the reasons for that? Partly it's that return rates are very high. Returns of a PC title are usually double that of a console title--why? Because it's not a great consumer experience because there's variation in minimum spec, and it requires a lot of consumer knowledge to figure out exactly what is in their box, and what that will run... Our membership of the PCGA is about improving the market: We want to improve the experience for consumers."

The Capcom exec specifically called out the role of digital distribution in improving the PC market. "Digital distribution on PC ties directly into our strategy," he said. "Capcom is trying to lead in digital distribution, and I would go as far as to say that in the console space we are already the leading software publisher... We will probably do as much digital selling as retail in the current climate."

The publisher has recently made a strong push into the PC gaming market thanks to its MT Framework technology, which streamlines the process of porting PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 projects to the PC. Recent and upcoming games to make use of this technology include Devil May Cry 4, Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies, Street Fighter IV, and Dead Rising 2.

Svensson went on to further explain Capcom's decision to develop the MT Framework in light of a seemingly flagging PC market, which saw retail revenues dip 23 percent in 2008 to $701.1 million. "We have brands that are very appealing, but the platform of choice in many countries is not a current-gen console," Svensson said. "The PC is global, and it's ubiquitous. And quite frankly, the more people who shy away from that platform, the bigger the opportunity."

138 Comments

  • calisvegeta

    Posted May 20, 2009 1:42 am PT

    I'm glad Capcom is now commited to PC Gaming as i personally am looking forward to Street Fighter.

    I must admit i do like to have the game cd and manual, but i have also bought a few games from steam normally through reseller's as the steam prices do not drop so quickly.

    But sometimes i wonder what it is constantly updating for each game.

  • Dichotomize

    Posted Apr 16, 2009 8:50 am PT

    @ GGCrew_basic:

    I've spent several years now working in various retail outlets. Most retailers will accept a return on an open box if the customer is unable to use the product for any reason. For instance, the Blockbuster I work at once gave a full-cash refund for Warhawk, because the customer alleged he didn't have an internet connection; and therefore couldn't play the online-only game. Another incident involved us taking a return on Metal Gear Solid 4, because the customer claimed he didn't have enough hard drive space to install and play the game. A Future Shop I once worked at took a return on an opened Xbox 360 Pro console because the customer said he couldn't afford to buy the system in the first place.

    Really, if you complain enough in retail, you can accomplish anything.

  • eBentl

    Posted Apr 15, 2009 1:26 am PT

    Personally, not a fan of digital distribution, if i'm going to buy a game I want my disc, my box and my manual.

  • billybobbarvis

    Posted Apr 11, 2009 11:00 pm PT

    Says the pirate.
    (About Itachi)

  • itachi100

    Posted Mar 25, 2009 1:54 pm PT

    @skywarp001

    steam rocks?! what on earth is wrong with you?!!?!?!?!

    steam is one of the worst mistakes to EVER happen to PC gaming!

  • IncipitOmega

    Posted Mar 16, 2009 1:39 am PT

    PC should be primary..consoles,secondary.

  • BloodMist

    Posted Mar 10, 2009 1:00 am PT

    LMFAO, dude, why don't you show ME the proof that it's 14-20 percent of overall sales.You can't.The empirical evidence is that there are countless games that are on the PC that are also released on the consoles.Duh.Dimwit.

  • skywarp001

    Posted Mar 9, 2009 8:45 pm PT

    steam rocks.

    I live for gaming on my pc. I use a controler for grid and will for streetfighter on release for sure. nothing can compare to my rig, ive put my hard work into making it out perform anything in its path and love my FPS and RTS and hawx soon games so so much. online is the way. i never play ai single player games.

  • Cabal23

    Posted Mar 9, 2009 11:16 am PT

    @bloodmist, how is it lazy to not produce a scalable engine? It cost time and money to produce such a thing. With development cycles being cut and made smaller and smaller, there has to be a huge payout for the company. What world do you live in that people just do things because they should? As I stated it's all about the moolah. You make it sound as if they made a conscious decision to not make money. Complain and create all the theory's you want, the fact remains pc games are getting more and more scare on store shelves. When only 14% of all video games sold are pc, I don't think there is much of an argument here. Pc gaming will never disappear, just evolve. But the fact remains console owners are soaring, so the console market will grow. The pc market will never grow beyond it 14-20% of the overall gaming market. It never has and never will when consoles are making gaming easier and more accessible. I am not taking sides ONCE again(I own both). Just stating the obvious.

    Show me one piece of empirical evidence that there is a huge number of pc games that were/are multiplatform games and I will shut up. But you have no evidence of that. That is an opinion.

  • rising_hatred

    Posted Mar 8, 2009 9:12 pm PT

    PC gaming is the best, if i could make love to my computer. you better believe i would ya im a nerd and love computers so what. as far as the controls for pc games, have u guys ever heard of using ur 360 controllers for ur pc? pretty much what made me switch completly over to pc over the last year, and because my 360 has broken for the twice. plus i can brag about how much better my pc is than urs!!

  • tadkop

    Posted Mar 8, 2009 12:53 am PT

    i luv gamespot haha

  • tadkop

    Posted Mar 8, 2009 12:51 am PT

    all you people are nerds grrr

  • tadkop

    Posted Mar 8, 2009 12:47 am PT

    omfg thats so gay like the controls 4 pc games are fu#ked wait a minute why am i on this nerd website pha

  • GANGSTASAN

    Posted Mar 7, 2009 8:00 am PT

    Hope that PC gaming continues.
    Really do

  • bennae66

    Posted Mar 6, 2009 10:49 pm PT

    im not bagging the pc in any way though, after all everyone on these forums i am assuming are websurfing on pc. so we all use one, we all love them (i think) but for gaming, spec requirements can also be a mood killer

  • bennae66

    Posted Mar 6, 2009 10:39 pm PT

    i just cant use my pc at the couch with a controller in my hand with 1080p 50'' tv like i can with my 360 and ps3. its quite simple really. poeple dont need to invest in a new graphics card every 1 1/2 years anymore for a good gaming experience. current and next gen consoles are a breakthrough in that regard. the permanent trouble free connection to xbox live is brilliant. its unlike any pc servers i have had experience with. yes, even worth paying for.

  • GGCrew_basic

    Posted Mar 6, 2009 7:02 pm PT

    JackHoleFace00 wrote:
    GameStop doesn't even carry PC games anymore? That's crazy when you think about it...

    True. Recently went into one, didn't see ANY PC games. When I asked, the rep said "We don't carry them at this store anymore. The store at [other mall in my area] may still sell them."

    GameStop - Are they still the "world's largest video game retailer"?

  • GGCrew_basic

    Posted Mar 6, 2009 6:57 pm PT

    Christian Svensson wrote:
    Returns of a PC title are usually double that of a console title

    Wait - you mean there are retailers that accept returns (of implied open games)?!?

    The main quote from Svensson in this article implies that many PC game returns are due to insufficient hardware, and that the returnees discover this issue after they've tried to play the game.

    The last time I was able to return opened software at a major retailer was over 15 years ago at a Software ETC... (who was bought-out by Babbages (who was bought-out by Electronics Boutique (who was bought-out by GameStop))).

    I've been a fan of Capcom's PC efforts. While their early PC ports were a bit rough on the optimized-for-PC side of things (looking at you, MegaMan Legends), their recent ports have been fantastic (RE4, DMC4, Lost Planet). And their digital-only line is shaping up nicely (Bionic Commando Rearmed, Age of Booty, Flock!)

    While Capcom isn't the only console developer bringing games to PC, they appear to be treating the PC platform as an equal instead of an afterthought.

  • beardrewz

    Posted Mar 6, 2009 6:36 pm PT

    Pc market..is to expensive..you need good specs for a game such as crysis etc to play and for it to look good. Consoles are just so much better now, res 5, gears 2, Kz2..the games are bigger and better all for a low price . Most of all...games run on a console such as the xbox 360 that looks very good, visual wise all for $300..unlike a pc. But i use pc for all other stuff but games....despite my 4gig ram and 650mb graphics card.

  • BloodMist

    Posted Mar 6, 2009 5:25 pm PT

    LOL Cabal, you have no idea what reality is.The number of multiplat games that don't actually come out on the PC is tiny, titles with actual quality, microscopic, make no mistake, so obviously 99.9 percent of devs/publishers know damn well they can make a profit off the platform.Just releasing the game without a scalable engine is lazy, plain and simple.There is NO excuse for that, just like there is NO excuse for not releasing a demo for it, either before or after release, with few exceptions.If you're going to release your game on the PC, treat the platform with the respect it rightly deserves and it will sell well.Just ask Valve.

    The rest of your post was nonsense and invalid bias.

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