We are at fault too - for not saying 5 hours gameplay for HL2 EP1 and 2 was ridiculous however great the first game was or indeed how good the 5 hours where. This was the start of it all in my book, because then came the Oblivion horse armour for £3, then came Fahrenheit with a dozen hours, and now we have HL2 EP2, we have Dreamfall The Longest Journey, we have COD4: Modern Warfare, we have Bioshock and so many more with sub 15 hours of gameplay for the same full retail price.
I now only buy certain modern games, a lot less in quantity than I did 10 years ago, and they are games with content. Games like Medieval II Total War and Kingdoms, games like Supreme Commander and STALKER, and games like Gothic 3. All these have 80+ of excellent content, not the 10-15 you get in less open world games. It's why I will not buy Crysis because it;s based on levels, but will buy Far Cry 2 as it's non linear with 250 sq km of open world gaming. I will buy STALKER: Clear Sky and Mass Effect (if it comes out on PC!) and I will buy Imperial Total War, all for the same reason.
If PC gamers were particular in what they purchased, we might change the market. Just buy games with content and not linear on the rail 12 hour games and the market will respond. Feel free to get the 10 hour games on ebay 3 months later for £10 - because that's what their worth!
And when there are no open world, non linear 100 hour games available, then get out your retro games, like Darklands, or The Longest Journey or Fallout 1 and 2 - y'know, one of 1,000's of games from the 80's and 90's that have dozens of hours of great gameplaying!!!
