So ATI is supposedly coming out with a new range of video cards that start at $250 and go to $600.

For what exactly?

Why should we buy them when you can get a video card that can play Crysis on high for $100?

We have reached a point where pc gaming hardware is being made for software that doesnt exist. There arent any games coming out this year that will require anything more than a $100 card, and the same goes for next year. Next years big games, Diablo 3 and Starcraft 2 will run just fine on a gaming pc that can handle Crysis.

The next big game that will push high-end gaming rigs is Project Offset, and given that there is still no hint of a release date it is highly unlikely that it will come out next year.

With so many pc games these days being console ports there just isnt the need for a new line of video cards.

This article shows that NVIDIA is in denial as well.

New Ultimate Power Gaming Platform? Really? What games are coming out this year for the Ultimate Gaming Platform? Delayed console ports like Batman and Resident Evil 5? Note that there wasnt any mention of upcoming games in the article, just a tech demo.

The problem for NVIDIA and ATI is that there is more profit for EA in Sims expansion packs than games that take advantage of the New Ultimate Power Gaming Platform (whoosh sound). The most profitable pc games in the past few years have been The Sims and Warcraft which are playable on a wide variety of computers.

I really think both companies are making a mistake by continuing to try and outperform each other with high-end cards when games today are being designed around consoles. Making these ultra super mega cards is a joke in an era where mainstream pc video cards can play new releases just fine. I suppose they wont end their denial until sales really start to drop and stock analysts start questioning their strategy of designing hardware for a dwindling market.