After much talk about PC gaming being dead with the arrival of powerful next-get consoles, here’s a list of games that prove PC gaming isn’t dead at all, there’s more reason for optimism for a PC gamer than for any console owner.

10: Half Life 2: Episode Two

Valve has promised the second episode this winter, continuing the story of Gordon, Alyx and the destruction of City 17. The second episode will be packed with an all new version of Team Fortress and the new Portal game, making Half Life 2: Episode Two one of the most anticipated shooters this winter. It gets our 10th spot.

Check out the remaining 9 games after the jump

9: Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars


One of the greatest RTS franchises in PC gaming history is returning in 2007. EA is bringing back live motion videos known from the previous games, contributing to the interesting story. C&C 3 follows GDI and Nod in their battle for Tiberuim, the one reresource crucial to both parties. EA has promised “fast, fluid and fun” gameplay, in both single- and multiplayer.

8: Enemy Territory: Quake Wars

Enemy Territory: Quake Wars is a Battlefield style shooter, focusing on teamwork and fast paced action. Set in the Quake universe, it’s the humans vs. the Strogg, a battle fought over a dozen new maps featuring a new technology where every level has one single texture, resulting in huge amount of details and eye-candy. Unfortunately, the game has been delayed for 6 months, and will be available in early 2007.

7: Neverwinter Nights 2

The sequel to the cricically acclaimed and best selling Neverwinter Nights is just months away from being released. The game won several awards at this years E3, for best RPG, and for a good reason. It will feature a single player campaign stretching over 50 hours, with an online multiplayer mode as well. You will be able to customize your character like never before, and will include tools so you can create your own dungeons etc.

6: Warhammer Online Age Of Reckoning

Mythic Entertainments MMORPG based on the popular Warhammer franchise looks like one of the title that could challenge World of Warcraft in the MMO universe. The game is based on the dark world of Warhammer, where everyone looks a bit evil and fights vicious battles. It will feature PvE a well as PvP environments, where every character looks different depending on their advance and level.

5: UT2007

UT2007 will try and succeed UT2004 as one of most popular online multiplayer shooters out there. It will be the first PC title to show off Epic’s new Unreal 3 engine. You’ll be able to choose between two sides, the Axon and the Nexris, and will include pretty much every official map that was used in the previous games. New maps with vehicle based combat will also be included. The PC version will support Ageia’s PhysX card, resulting in jaw dropping explosions and realistic physics. The game will ship in Q1 2007.

4: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. has been delayed for a long time now, originally scheduled for a 2003 release and was considered a serious competitor to Half Life 2. The developers have recreated the entire city of Chernobyl, where you’ll be fighting monsters and soldiers throughout the game. THQ has promised a Q1 2007 release, we’ll see what happens.

3: SPORE

Will Wright’s SPORE received massive critical acclaim when it was showcased for the first time a few months ago at E3 2006. The game, which is hard to describe to the average gamer, let’s you create your own world, from the first few cells to entire galaxies. You can customize your creature completely, adding an extra pair of legs or arms, or something third. Then you’ll be off to share your world with others, visiting planets other players created in what Wright describes as “Massively Single Player” gaming.

2: Crysis

Crysis is one of those games everyone knows about long before the it hits the stores. The impressive gameplay videos shown at this year’s E3 were just the tip of the iceberg. The demos ran using current DX9 hardware, the full DX10 version of Crysis might end up being the best looking game ever released on the PC, which is more than enough for most people to check it out.

1: Supreme Commander


In 1997 Total Annihilation was a groundbreaking RTS, Supreme Commander is the spiritual successor, and looks to be just as groundbreaking as the original was back in 1997. It will feature maps that are far bigger than on any other RTS games, huge worlds for land, sea, and air units to fight in. The entire map will feature destructible environments, tanks will run over trees or entire forests will catch fire in combat situations. Supreme Commander will be out early 2007, a good 10 years after one of the greatest RTS games ever.

Honorable Mentions: World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade, Star Trek Online, Battlefield 2142, Hellgate: London, Fallout 3

[Update: Added honorable mentions]