jabroni - 20 March 2008 06:30 PM

If you think racing sims are particularly healthy on the PC side, you're either not paying attention or in denial.

Well Jabroni, I believe racing a few nights a week in various series throughout the world proves I'm paying attention, and the only denial going on is when I turn down invitations weekly to join other series (only so many free nights each week).

Here's where the issue lies, though...and this is more than just PC racing sims:

Simulations in general are in decline. Where they were once a thriving genre on the PC, now they're more of a niche. Yes, racing, flight, and other "hardcore" simulations are being made, but they're no longer part of the mainstream for the most part.

This ties in with the decline of the PC as a mainstream gaming platform. No, I'm not saying that people don't play games on their PC's. I'm saying that game developers aren't stupid. They recognize the smell of money from about a mile away, and they can tell that right now, console gaming is where all the profit is to be made.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=34367

id Software's Steve Nix believes that a significant number of 'hardcore' PC gamers are shifting over to home consoles to get their kicks.
Speaking to our sister site Eurogamer.net, Nix said that id would continue to support the loyal PC gamer, but it couldn't afford to ignore the size of the market for first-person shooters on console.
"I know that I have friends who are considered core gamers, who years ago were just keyboard and mouse guys - now, when a game ships on all platforms, they buy the console version, even though the PC version is sitting there and they have a PC that would run it perfectly well. It's just their preference," explained Nix.
Greg Stone, designer for Nerve Software, the developer working on the Xbox 360 version of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars, agreed with Nix: "For me, I'm exactly what he's describing – I'm a guy that used to play on PCs, and now I'm totally console.
"It's so much money to keep up with the bleeding edge of technology on the PC, and it really just is easier to take a console and say, well, this is good enough. I think that's the way it is for me, and for a lot of people at this point in time."
However, Nix was keen to point out that he's describing a limited trend - and that there's still plenty of space for the PC in the games market, even if FPS games are certainly no longer entirely a PC-centric genre.
"There are plenty of people who are diehard mouse and keyboard guys that may never go to console, and also right now, if you have the highest of high-end PCs, you're generally going to get a better visual experience," Nix said. "There's no console out there that's as powerful as a God machine right now, with a Quad-Core and a GeForce 8800 - it's very hard for any console to compete with that."
"So you still have PC players, and some players are just console guys, but have players moved over? Absolutely. We love PC gaming, and we continue to support PC gaming - but you can't ignore the market realities and the size of the console market these days."

In general, a large number of the major titles that come out are developed with the console in mind, and ported over to the PC later.

The two trends (PC/Sim decline) go together, and it's a general trend that's not limited to racing sims.

The article at the top is relevant because, while there are indeed racing sims being made, it's not exactly a lucrative industry.

Good to see all the discussion this has generated though

Well Jacngille and Hammer, I guess you are paying attention, so you must just be in denial. Sure there are a bunch of hardcore simmers around, but not enough to make racing sims a healthy market. Simbin seems to be the only company who can move traditional racing sims. Papy died, ISI didn't do all that well with its modding platform rFactor, iRacing has Red Sox money behind it and is certainly not a traditional sim. I think iRacing's subscription-based service will tell us just how healthy sim racing is. How many people will pay $150+ a year for a racing sim? With the relatively low number of simmers out there, and the rising costs of game production, you're going to have to charge each one more money to turn a profit.

jabroni - 21 March 2008 08:58 PM

Well Jacngille and Hammer, I guess you are paying attention, so you must just be in denial. Sure there are a bunch of hardcore simmers around, but not enough to make racing sims a healthy market. Simbin seems to be the only company who can move traditional racing sims. Papy died, ISI didn't do all that well with its modding platform rFactor, iRacing has Red Sox money behind it and is certainly not a traditional sim. I think iRacing's subscription-based service will tell us just how healthy sim racing is. How many people will pay $150+ a year for a racing sim? With the relatively low number of simmers out there, and the rising costs of game production, you're going to have to charge each one more money to turn a profit.

You do make a valid point, my man. Being one of the hardcore sim racers you refer to, my opinion is somewhat biased LOL. The number of newly released sims are few to be sure thanks to Papyrus & Sierra. Eight years ago, NASCAR 2003 was launched and since that time there have been so many add-on cars, tracks and mods to race other series such as GTP and open wheelers that they've set the bar impossibly high. RFactor is trying but have a LONG way to go. With the number of free server sites hosting racing every night, I hope IRacing isn't staking their future on their "pay to play" concept. Seem to have a very high opinion of themselves!
If you're into sim racing, drop me a PM and will gladly hook you up with some leagues I'm sure you'll enjoy!

Like I said, im a hardcore PC sim racer and I have been there from the start of it all. All I know is that I am now having more fun than EVER with the current sims that are out there, rfactor, LFS, GTR2, ect, ect, ect.. I could care less what the mainstream market is, or wants. The fact of the matter is that there will always be sim racing, and great sims to race!!!!!!

RacerScott - 23 March 2008 12:27 PM

Like I said, im a hardcore PC sim racer and I have been there from the start of it all. All I know is that I am now having more fun than EVER with the current sims that are out there, rfactor, LFS, GTR2, ect, ect, ect.. I could care less what the mainstream market is, or wants. The fact of the matter is that there will always be sim racing, and great sims to race!!!!!!

As a postscript, couldn't have said it better myself! Good job, bro!!!!!!!