AMD Game! Gamer Program Opens
By Doug Olenick -- TWICE, 5/21/2008 10:25:00 AM
Sunnyvale, Calif. — AMD introduced a new program today to simplify the PC game and computer buying experience for both consumers and retail store staffers.
Citing the confusion created when consumers have to decide whether or not a new PC game will play on their PC, AMD this week has rolled out its AMD Game! logo program. A computer or software title featuring one of these icons will indicate that it has been tested by AMD to deliver a level of gaming experience that will satisfy the average gamer, said Brent Barry, AMD’s gaming strategist.
“The game console is a simple solution. The game will almost always work with the console, but store sales people do not always push the casual gamer toward the correct PC. This means people don’t get a good gaming experience,” Barry said.
On the hardware side desktop PCs participating will have either the AMD Game! or AMD Game! Ultra logos on their case. AMD Game!-labeled computers are to be matched with games requiring an AMD Athlon X2 processor 5600+, ATI Radeon HD 3650 graphics, an AMD 770 chipset or NVIDIA nForce 500 series chipset. The AMD Game! Ultra will run higher-end games needing an AMD Phenom X4 9650 processor, ATI Radeon HD 3870 graphics and an AMD 770 chipset.
Game titles will be similarly marked so the customer or store sales associate simply has to match them up, Barry said.
The program is aimed specifically at the casual and mainstream PC gamers, of which there are in excess of 250 million worldwide, who play a few hours per week, according to the company. Barry said this is the fastest-growing segment of PC gamer and includes the people most likely to have trouble deciding if a game will work on their computer. Enthusiast-level gamers do not need this help since their knowledge of PCs and games enables them to properly buy what they need, he added.
AMD has 25 hardware and game developers on board at launch, including Alienware and Acer, with more expected, Barry said.
Barry does not expect the program to close the gap between game console and PC gaming, but to at least give the latter platform a better chance to compete at retail.
