According to Extremetech, these are the things that every PC game needs: save anywhere, remap controls/monitor ratio, aspect ratio support, transparent save file location, and flexible install options and control.  But in the spirit of the death of PC Gaming, GamerWok would like to proposed an anti-theses of sorts.  A list we would like to call, "The Five Things Every PC Game Can Do Without".

Ambigious System Requirements

How often have you picked up a box for a game or browsed the developer's website and all you see is a list of video cards the length of your arm?  Or worse yet, "Nvidia 7900 Series GPU or better".  For most of us tech-heads, we would probably know if our card is better than or equal to a 7900 series Nvidia card; however, most casual gamers or their parents/grandparents will not understand any of that jargon.  This is partially why services such as OnLive sounds so promising; where they are able to simplify the situation and deliver a product that's easy to understand.  

But what about now?  What can developers do to make things as easy as possible for the end user, especially since they can't return opened software anymore?  They could use a tool such as the Windows Experience Index that exists in Windows Vista to help gauge the relative power of your system.  If the user doesn't have Windows Vista, developers could provide a link to an online tool that will essentially do the exact same thing and provide a yes or no answer to the game's compatibility.  That's something that could be developed in a web browser with Java Script or any other form of web programming language.  Simple, effective, and best of all, efficient.  That's the key to making PC Gaming as open and accessible to the average user.

Day One Patches/Rushed Development/Beta Drivers

So now that you've determined a user's system can indeed run your game, how can you keep them from regretting their purchase?  How about a novel idea of making sure your product actually works?  I can't remember the amount of times that I have purchased a game and there was immediately an update I must download prior to playing.  EA is probably the most guilty of this as none of their games have ever shipped without a first day patch.  I suppose the argument is that the developers are actually supporting its products but it would have been so much easier to have the game ship in an actual complete state?  Developers, enough with the last minute updates and please test your games prior to release.  When the consumer is asked to pay $40 or more for 5-15 hours of entertainment, that entertainment better work.  Because if it doesn't, it will turn people off of your product or the industry all together.

DRM

Ah, the dreaded Digital Rights Management topic.  I've harped on this topic over and over again so I won't go into too much detail here.  However, what I will say is that DRM, at its core, does more harm than good for the business model.  The old adage of "there's no such thing as bad publicity" can be held true here.  Take a look at what recently happened with the X-Men Origins: Wolverine film that was leaked.  It has garnered over 1 million downloads in less than one week and you can bet that the majority of those that downloaded the film will pay to see it in theaters.  Why?  Because that's the curiosity of human nature - people want proof of their own ideas.  Was the film as bad as I thought?  Maybe the special effects will make the film totally different.  Same idea with DRM.  If you clamp down your product to the point where no one can share their experience, you end up forcing people to share it over other venues.  Take Sins of a Solar Empire for instance.  That game was released with no DRM and has gained a steady following and renown within PC gaming circles.  Not because of its non-DRM policy, but because the game is good and those that have shared it with friends (in the traditional sense of sharing - lending it to a friend, not burning them a copy) has usually turned that same friend into a customer.  DRM is also a very confusing and technical limitation.  Casual users and those used to gaming on a console will not understand why they can't continue to use this game past five installs.  Try telling your aunt that you can't lend your copy of Sims 2 to her because the publisher won't let you.  Basic DRM, such as disk checks or validations are necessary, similar to putting your trademark on your designs to limit infringment.  But harsh limitations on basic use and functions are an archaic way of doing business.

Paid Multiplayer/Manditory Multiplayer Clients

This is actually a feature that PC games has begun to pull ahead of console games.  In the years before, developers often would release a multiplayer version of a game separate from its single player campaign or charged an additional fee to unlock the multiplayer portion.  These days on the PC, games have moved to a different model.  One where they partner with a particular client service that requires you to download that particular client in order to play online.  There's nothing particularly wrong with that and a model such as Steam or Xbox Live has worked out fairly well.  But the issue comes down to requiring you to use an inferior service while better one exist.  Why must I use Games for Windows when Steam is that much better?  It's because Microsoft either wanted the title to feature their service or the developer thought the moniker of "Windows" on its box would increase sales.  Enough with the proprietary services already and let me enjoy my games where and how I want to enjoy it.  I'm already paying you for the gas, don't tell me which car I can put it in!

Cheaters

Lastly (courtesy of FatYoshi), the bane of all online gamers - cheaters.  Have you ever sworn that the guy in Counter-Strike shot you while you're behind a solid wall?  Have you ever thought that one Heavy in Team Fortress 2 totally got shot in the head but continued to walk?  That's usually the work of cheaters or bot programs that some how intercept the packets between your gaming client and the central server; thereby creating a loophole for them to dominate you.  Cheating at games is as old as history itself so I'm not going to suggest a way to stop it.  But the one thing all PC games can do is to pony up the licensing fees necessary to incorporate some decent anti-cheater technology such as PunkBuster.  Often times, developers will either stop supporting the game by no longer balancing classes/gameplay and plugging up loopholes.  Going back to the point of serving your customers, making sure that your customers continue to enjoy your product long after its release will ensure repeat business and strong brand loyalty.  

Of course, this list is rather general and does not come close to covering all possible topics.  But if you've been playing PC games for a while, you can agree that there are lots of issues the platform needs to work out.  What are some of the issues you believe are plaguing PC gaming?  Let us know in the comments!