Just because something is mega-successful in the console video game industry does not guarantee a successful port to the PC gaming environment. If there is going to be a port from console to PC, there’s usually a noticeable delay between the title releases. Take the Dark Souls title, for instance. The title was released to consoles in the fourth quarter of 2011, and the PC version of the game won’t hit the shelves until August, 2012, almost a year after the console versions were released.
While there’s new content with the PC edition, the fact that the process took so long should give you an idea of how problematic console-to-PC ports can be. Add to that the fact that the porting of Dark Souls is experiencing some issues with the PC gaming control scheme, something a recent post at Rock, Paper, Shotgun revealed:
“To be completely honest, we’re having a tough time doing it due to our lack of experience and knowledge in terms of porting to PC. First we thought it would be a breeze, but it’s turned out not to be the case. We’re still developing right now – we’re crunching right now.”
With that in mind, it’s probably came as little-to-no surprise when the delay of Ghost Recon: Future Soldier to the PC environment was announced. While the delay isn’t a long one, about two weeks, according to reports, the reasons behind the delay are less clear. Perhaps “unknown” would be a better description. The Escapist says:
As for why it’s delayed, nobody knows – or at least, nobody who does know is willing to say. It’s a bit late in the process to be worrying about problems in development, although a couple of weeks might be adequate if it just needs a little more polish, but I think the smart money is on piracy, specifically with regard to Ubisoft’s occasionally heavy-handed approach to fighting it. Since the PC is seen as the platform most vulnerable to piracy, PC editions are sometimes held back a few weeks to help ensure that the more lucrative console versions aren’t cut off at the knees.
Ubisoft has something of a negative history in regards to PC ports. While the games themselves are quite playable–at least for the Assassin’s Creed series–the steps they take to combat piracy are not as user-friendly.
Always-on DRM for the win, apparently. Whatever the case, those who enjoy playing tactical first-person shooters on the PC–the environment these games perform best on, in my opinion–will get another title to rip through. The question is, will PC gamers be willing to take part in Ubisoft’s anti-piracy dance?
Considering the success of Ghost Recon: Future Soldier regarding sales, limiting the ways to make even more revenue from the game seems self-defeating. As a PC gamer, here’s what you’ve been missing out on: