Another don't you wish thread! 
But wouldn't most of you agree that PC-based gaming would become vastly more popular if video card manufacturers would agree to create 'tiers' of graphic processors?
Think about it, a lot of consumers are scared away from PC gaming because video card technology has a typical lifetime of only 3-8 months, and their $500 video card will be outdated, and possibly even unsupported in no time at all.
The fact that people are shelling out over $1000 US for playstation 3's goes to show that money is not the primary attraction most gamers have to console gaming, but the sheer simplicity of buying a single unit, that's gauranteed to be supported, and fully capable of games for a 4-5 year lifespan.
So would it not make sense that if video card companies came out with new 'tiers' of cards every few years (hell, once a year, even) rather than a constantly improving array of video cards that come out almost on a mothly basis, that both consumers, as well as video game developers would focus much more attention to PC-gaming?
Rather than people having to learn, or even think about clockspeed, memory speed, types of memory, and all of the mind-numbing numbers and ratings of video cards, they could be simply given a name, such as "Level 2" which would be gauranteed to work with, and support games designed for the "level 2" tier hardware. So whether it be nvidia, ati, or an offbrand, all the consumer would have to do is make sure their games and hardware were both designed for "level 2" and it would be plug and play.
I know this would upset those gadget junkies who constantly have to have something that's at least slightly better than their friends, or even other guys on their favorite forum, or newsfeed that they've never even seen or met, but i think it would help to popularize PC-gaming, and get a lot more attention from gamers who never even considered games on their PC and developers who were ill equipped to port to the PC alike.
Anyone agree with me out there? Or is the holiday stress frying my brain?
But wouldn't most of you agree that PC-based gaming would become vastly more popular if video card manufacturers would agree to create 'tiers' of graphic processors?
Think about it, a lot of consumers are scared away from PC gaming because video card technology has a typical lifetime of only 3-8 months, and their $500 video card will be outdated, and possibly even unsupported in no time at all.
The fact that people are shelling out over $1000 US for playstation 3's goes to show that money is not the primary attraction most gamers have to console gaming, but the sheer simplicity of buying a single unit, that's gauranteed to be supported, and fully capable of games for a 4-5 year lifespan.
So would it not make sense that if video card companies came out with new 'tiers' of cards every few years (hell, once a year, even) rather than a constantly improving array of video cards that come out almost on a mothly basis, that both consumers, as well as video game developers would focus much more attention to PC-gaming?
Rather than people having to learn, or even think about clockspeed, memory speed, types of memory, and all of the mind-numbing numbers and ratings of video cards, they could be simply given a name, such as "Level 2" which would be gauranteed to work with, and support games designed for the "level 2" tier hardware. So whether it be nvidia, ati, or an offbrand, all the consumer would have to do is make sure their games and hardware were both designed for "level 2" and it would be plug and play.
I know this would upset those gadget junkies who constantly have to have something that's at least slightly better than their friends, or even other guys on their favorite forum, or newsfeed that they've never even seen or met, but i think it would help to popularize PC-gaming, and get a lot more attention from gamers who never even considered games on their PC and developers who were ill equipped to port to the PC alike.
Anyone agree with me out there? Or is the holiday stress frying my brain?