#8, Right on! We're with you on this and while we have 360's and kids that use them - for us, they are used mainly for the media that they support access to - extenders, HD, downloads, etc...
Nothing, and I mean nothing, can replace a decent gaming PC for the potential experience - and that is the key to restoring gaming to PC.
Here's what I mean... builders have to address the one thing that consoles offer, "environment" Clearly, gaming in a den, or living room, or dedicated gaming and media room is far more fun and comfortable that gaming in front of a desk is [some will argue that point vigorously, but the numbers don't support enough of them]. So what builders have to do is make gaming PC's suitable for the environments that people are choosing - with their feet, and backsides - e.g., where they are moving to physically in order to game.
To do this, gaming PC's have to be made to be instant on and off devices - that, I can 100% assure all, is entirely possible to do with Windows Vista and low cost hardware. Next, gaming PC's have to be housed in ways that are suitable for typical media stands and racks. Okay, easy enough and easy enough to make them quiet, too. Now, one then has to really look at the experience a bit more and bundle the sale with the means to play games as one would at a desk - that, too is possible, but takes some discovery and planning. The final factor is leveraging the gaming PC to off-set the costs - obviously the PC has to be capable of supporting remote use - so when not used as a gaming RIG it can serve as a PC. Well, that is possible, too - via wired and wireless connections between the host and another LCD and keyboard. One has to truly provide a converged system and be willing to think outside of the console and outside of what we regard as a PC [a host]. We do all of this, but not nearly enough - not enough people "get it" but we are changing that with wearable, wireless displays in some cases, and custom "mixed" builds in other - where a trick gaming/media rig supports all of these things - and most especially the environments where people seem to prefer to play. The biggest part is gamers - gamers have to ask for and demand this - sadly, they are not in the numbers that would drive it. Finally, gaming truly is for all people of all types - the sell in has to be around that mark - so gamers in the house, get and play games that all members in the house will like and turn them on to what it is all about.
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