AMD has been spreading details of a new program called AMD GAME! this week.
The primary goal of the AMD GAME! program is to make the hardware requirements for PC gaming easier to understand for non-tech savvy PC gamers. System vendors and PC builders will feature a AMD GAME! logo on their computers if they meet the regularly updated hardware specifications set by the AMD GAME! program. So, if a computer is advertised as a AMD GAME! capable system, it should reliably be able to deliver 30 frames-per-second or over at 1280x1024 in current games. For faster computers, there will also be AMD GAME! Ultra level of performance, which should signify a system is capable of running games at over 30 frames-per-second at a 1600x1200 resolution.
It does not look like AMD GAME! stickers will be adorning game boxes -- for now. At the start of the program, it looks like this initiative is solely aimed at computer retailers. But in the future, this may change, and the AMD GAME! logo could become something like the Microsoft's Games For Windows marketing campaign.
While the AMD GAME! program does not look like it will be of any help to committed PC gamers or hardware enthusiasts, it could help out the less experienced PC purchaser. From personal experience, on more than one occasion I have talked to someone who was disappointed that their brand new computer was incapable of playing a game -- they did not realize that their new machine did not come with a gaming-worthy video card.
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