I hate to break it to you but dual cores have been out for almost 4 years and have been standard for at least a year. Assassin’s creed isn’t even the first to require dual core. I think we are going to see multicore cpus as a requirement for most games before the end of the year.
Still 60% of Steam users (who are all gamers) are using a single CPU.
As Marxeil points out, multi-core CPU’s are hardly “standard.” That said, I think you’re right that they are going to become increasingly necessary. If nothing else, the fact that both the PS3 and 360 are multi based means that all the games developed for both PC and console are going to need multi CPU based systems.
I think you are very, very, very wrong.
Even if you just look at the AAA hard-core space (which is obviously where your head is at) I think your prediction is still very, very wrong.
Thanks for the heads up. I probably will do it. Damnit, I wasn’t hoping to buy anymore games for awhile. Heh.
These kind of things are really maddening in modern times. The antiquated region specific publishing deals really need to die a horrible death and fast. This is especially bizarre considering Ubisoft is a European publisher.
The best I could find was sites previewing dual core CPUs about 3 years ago.
In the last two years, you’ve had had to try very hard to get a PC without dual-core processor. In another two years single-core will have about as much market share as Windows 98.
PC hardware doesn’t expire as quickly as operating systems since OSes are far easier to upgrade. 2 years from now single core CPUs will probably still be 20-25% on Steam.
Bruce
Most people upgrade i.e. replace, every four years. As we’ve been in the land of the dual-core for two, I’d be surprised if they’re not a 5-10% sliver at most in two years.
What’s this about OS upgrades anyway? How many non-hardcore people actually buy an OS? Almost none, it’s a market so tiny in comparison to OSs via new PC sales that it’s not even worth discussing.
Most hard core people do, yes. Most people, no.
Not according to the figures I’ve seen, but then those are private. I don’t recall ever seeing Microsoft providing a breakdown of OS sales by upgrade vs. full but it might be out there somewhere on The Google.
Bruce
A bunch more have been released on Steam, including HOMM5 (sans expansions), Beyond Good & Evil, both Blazing Angels, and more from the Rainbow Six series. At only $9 I might pick up BG&E again, even though I haven’t finished the PS2 version.
(Edit: Again apparently just in North America, alas.)
So which verson of BG&E is it? The one with no game pad controls and a horrible unchangable keyboard interface or the patched version that supports game pads but has a new game ending bug that prevents people from finishing it?
I don’t know about the fatal bug, but it does have remappable controls through a separate settings application. Unfortunately, it also has flickery textures on UI elements, at least under Vista. It’s still playable, but annoying.
Edit: And upon further reading, it apparently is the patched version with the fatal bug. Oh, Ubisoft… I guess I’ll finish the PS2 version and consider this expense my little way of trying to help convince them to do a BG&E2.