"PC has no champion," says Age of Empires creator

Microsoft's entry into the console markets with the Xbox and Xbox 360 has left the company "too busy with Xbox games" to focus on the PC platform, according to Brian Sullivan, co-creator of one of the firm's biggest PC franchises, Age of Empires.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz about his new project, Titan Quest - an epic action RPG which will be published by THQ - Sullivan said that the PC games market is "doing fantastic" but lamented the lack of a firm willing to champion the platform.

"As a PC gamer, I really wish they had stuck with PC gaming," he said, referring to Microsoft. "Because PC gaming doesn't really have a champion; with all the consoles, the manufacturer's the big champion, but PC gaming has no champion with Microsoft and their own Xbox."

However, Sullivan believes that many third party publishers - including Titan Quest's publisher, THQ - are now recognising the potential of the PC platform and starting major initiatives to produce high quality content for it.

"I think THQ decided there's a lot of profit to be made in PC games - and since THQ's made that decision, and put their portfolio together, Namco is doing it also, they're getting into PC games with Hellgate and some others, and Midway decided to get into PC games... Microsoft even talks about getting back into PC games, so who knows."

"I think you can still make a lot of money on PC games," he concluded, "and people are starting to realise that again."

Click here to read the full text of our interview with Brian Sullivan.