AMD PC Gaming Initiative unveiled


May 19, 2008


AMD PC Gaming Initiative
unveiled

By

Michael Lafferty


“We are really excited about
this. This is a step forward for PC gaming.”

For many, buying a personal
computer can be a daunting experience. What is the CPU and what effect does it
have on the system? Or for that matter, what is the GPU?

AMD is about to make the task
of buying a PC a lot easier. It’s called the AMD Game Experience and it is an
initiative that will set up standards and act as a guide for people who wish to
combine the idea of getting the most machine possible and at the right price.

GameZone sat down with
Brent Barry, gaming strategist for AMD, to chat
about this.

“The gaming market is growing
absolutely explosively,” Barry stated. “More and more people are saying they are
planning to play video games (with their PCs). The problem is that a lot of PCs
are not equipped to play games.”

Before detailing the nuances of
the AMD plan, Barry tossed out a few numbers. The PC Gaming Alliance estimates
that there are 263 million PC gamers worldwide, and more people that are
planning on a PC purchase have admitted that playing games will be a factor in
the machine they eventually buy. This creates a bit of a problem simply because
most people would not know a CPU (central processing unit) from a GPU (graphics
processing unit) and the way the two interplay to render out the type of
experience they are looking for?

Studies have shown that casual
gamers play at 1024×758 resolution, which is considered to be on the lower end
of the gaming graphics totem pole, while mainstream users play at medium visual
quality (about 1440×900 to about 1600×1200) and hardcore play at 1920×1200.

“As consumers are going into
buy a PC, they don’t know what to look for,” Barry said. “Really the only
indicator people have today is price. At the end of the day, the problem is …
when that consumer has a bad experience with the software, business suffers.”

“The industry is incredible,
but the PC is just not doing the job we need it to do to make it a better,
easier experience,” Barry reiterated.

“AMD Game is the solution to
what we are trying to do,” he said. “No. 1, it is an ecosystem level initiative
to simplify the complete PC gaming experience. No. 2, we want to enable
consumers to easily identify a PC that is ready to play the latest games for
Microsoft Windows (the AMD Game! Ready sticker shows that this is a balanced
platform that is ready to play games).”

There are four main points to
this initiative:

  • Balanced
    solutions

  • Compatibility
    (validate the functionality and end-user experience of gaming hardware &
    software)

  • Community
    (deliver value)

  • Innovation
    (develop innovative technology and tools that simplify and enhance gaming
    experience).

And the initiative is drawing
Industry support.

“Who’s standing up with us?”
Barry asked, rhetorically. “Microsoft, Acer, Alienware, Stardock, and others are
standing up and showing support. Behind that more than 50 PC gaming industry
partners standing up to say they think we are moving in the right direction.

“We feel we are in a position
to push to the next level.”

Through a power-point
presentation, Barry outlined some of the key phraseology guiding the idea.

Compatibility = Simplicity =
Experience.

He said that the AMD Game!
Ready label ensures …

  • AMD tests and
    verifies key hardware for compatibility with platforms and components

  • Goal is to
    ensure platforms can play newest and most demanding PC games

  • A balanced
    platform provides optimal CPU, GPU and Chipset performance at an affordable
    price.

In addition to certifying
pre-built systems with a sticker on the box that states whether or not the
machine is ready to game, AMD will extend that to supplying those who like to
build their own machines with lists of component configurations to build a
machine that meets its criteria. This will be handled through the

AMD Web site
.  

“We think it is too hard to
find the right PC for mainstream gaming. That is what we are trying to solve,”
Barry said. 

“We are really excited about
this. This is a step forward for PC gaming.”