Capcom talks PC gaming, digital distribution

capcom
When you think of Capcom, you think of consoles — that’s pretty much a brand they’ve been building up for 20 years. I remember the Capcom logo most prominently in Street Fighter II, as do many in my generation, but since then they’ve moved on into about a billion new markets and franchises. One market they’re still trying to break open is the PC. This interview with a Capcom strategy exec suggests a surprising dedication to the platform.

Capcom doesn’t really have the richest history on the PC; in fact, the biggest bullet point is the failure to bring Resident Evil 4 to the PC in good time or in good form. They admit that mistake, and have since created a new framework and strategy for bringing their games to PC, most recently with the well-received Devil May Cry 4 and Lost Planet Colonies, the latter of which I have been playing. I can tell you from experience that their port is, shall we say, imperfect, but certainly playable. The menus are ugly, settings are limited, and it assumes you’re using a 360 controller throughout the game — I had to changed the analog stick control style to make my mouse work correctly.

But at least they’re doing it in house and trying to do it right. They’re also trying to do the digital distribution thing, which is of course hugely important for PC gamers, and the success of which can be found in the excellent Bionic Commando: Rearmed. Quick to download, well-reviewed, and available in a snap from Steam. They’re worried about piracy, but so is everyone, and hopefully they’re not going to let that get in the way of their good work on the PC.

Now where’s my Mega Man 9?!