NHL 13 PC Version ?

[Section_25]

Does anyone know for sure why EA has totally given up on releasing PC versions of most of the sport titles?

Some people say it is because of piracy issues and things like that, but it just seems like it must be something more than that huh ?

When discussing adding new game features, I see alot of people say they can't do certain things because of the console hardware (memory) limitations, so why can't we have a PC version?

Seems like the developers would want a PC version themselves so they could make the game as awesome as most of us want.

I never have understood this and wish EA would reconsider and get back into PC game development.

Honestly, I know there are some really good console titles, but NHL is really all I play on my PS3. Almost all of the rest of my gaming is PC !

[Broncos86]

Here are several possible reasons:

- Hardware on a console is the same for everyone. Your 360 and my 360 are the same. They don't have to deal with driver issues, hardware variations, etc. Your experience will be the same as everyone else's experience, so they can control how the end product looks. This also cuts down on QA costs.

- Piracy, although I'd say platforms like Origin and Steam are great piracy deterrents.

- Marketshare. The large majority of sports-only gamers have consoles for gaming. PC sales would (and have) dimmed in comparison to console sales. That means the amount of work needed to release the game on PC may not be worth it. Coding, QA, etc. If the PC was worth the money, EA would certainly do it.

In the end, the PC just isn't a viable platform for games like Madden, NHL, etc. If EA made substantial money on PC sales of those games, you can bet that EA would be releasing it on PC. But the truth is, the demand just isn't at a level to make EA consider it. Combine that with the fact that titles like NHL and Madden 08 were heavily pirated on PC, and the conclusion is simple.

[Reiny09]

I really do wish that EA would get back to offering their games on PC. So many of the cosmetic things that we complain about are things that the geniuses out there are able to do at the click of a button. The first NHL game I ever owned was NHL 2001 on PC and it always brings back great memories. I currently own a Macbook Pro but have been patiently waiting for a game like NHL that I feel is worth my while to purchase or build a PC for. Hopefully I don't have to wait too much longer.

[Revan30]

The positives of the PC is that PC games always have phenomenal and very active/supportive communities and fanbases. Games on the PC are always better--a cheap PC today could easily outpower and outclass the Xbox 360 and PS3 today--both of which are pretty outdated and terrible systems nowadays. PC gaming communities have HUGELY intense fans, as stated above. Look at sports game communities like NBA 2k and PES...the fanbases are small in comparison to the 360 and PS3, yes, but the PC crowd is probably the best, most knowledgeable, and most intense of all of the gaming platforms available today.

Yes, it's not exactly financially viable to release a high-budget sports game on the PC. But if EA really cared about fan relations like some companies do, they'd release the game for the PC. Since the game is made for the Xbox 360 I'm sure it wouldn't actually be all too difficult to port the game over to the PC. And to Broncos86, since when does a game development company ever worry about drivers for an individual's computer? Almost every PC game I've played that has had issues on a PC that I've owned in the past just says "update your drivers" or "your computer isn't powerful enough to run our game".

If EA released this game for the PC I would be absolutely in love. Games are always better on the PC, and if you get a cheap $20 Logitech Controller for a USB slot it runs just like a console, but with a lot better graphics and a lot more power.

[Segagendude]

I wish they would release a PC version as well. Look what MLB 2k and NBA 2k look like after mods....entirely different(and better) games than the consoles.

Imagine NHL 13 with modded arenas, player faces, etc.......*sigh*.

[Section_25]

What I don't get is that EA has PC versions for alot of their other popular titles :

Battlefield 3
Need for speed
Crysis series
Medal of honor

even FIFA has a PC version....


So why not Madden and NHL .....


Even if they ported over the console version build and added a few more bells and whistles they wanted to add to the consoles but couldn't because of hardware limitations, it would probably be the best hockey game anyone has ever played.

Oh well, maybe one will be released soon in the future ...

[Broncos86]

Quote: Originally Posted by Section_25

What I don't get is that EA has PC versions for alot of their other popular titles : Battlefield 3 Need for speed Crysis series Medal of honor even FIFA has a PC version.... So why not Madden and NHL .....

Because those titles sell on the PC and EA sees them as financially viable product releases. When trying to figure out why EA does things, the logic tree is simple:

Does the idea make us enough money?:
- > Yes - DO IT.
- > No - DON'T DO IT

[kerosene31]

I can only guess at a few factors:

-The easy ability to mod PC games may hurt sales. You don't need to purchase a new version every year when you can mod the rosters easily and tons of other things.

-I'm sure many PC only gamers got consoles as the sports games stopped coming out. I know I got an Xbox as soon as NHL stopped coming out on PC.

-Maybe with yearly releases it just doesn't make sense to port them? You'd still think that at least Madden would make them money though??

I've got to think that PC gaming is going to be a shrinking market in the future. How many younger people are going to actually have a desktop PC in their house in 5 years? 10 years? I know lots of my friends who haven't upgraded their PCs in years and just got a console instead.