Report: Microsoft, Nvidia Exit PC Gaming Alliance

With new president Matt Ployhar in place, the PC Gaming Alliance has been speaking out about its plans to be more "vocal" in its activism on behalf of its space, but it'll have to do so without the support of two major companies from the PC front: Microsoft and Nvidia. Ployhar told news site Big Download that the PCGA founding members have left the group, although he said he'd rather let the companies speak for themselves regarding their reasons. Neither company has yet done so, although both Big Download and Gamasutra have contacted the relevant parties for comment. According to the report, Ployhar says he doesn't think the departures will harm the PCGA's current work. In a recent Gamasutra feature Ployhar said the group's working on "better communication, level-setting expectations [and] outlining what we're going to be doing for 2011," including "a pretty big announcement" planned for GDC next week. Ployhar also said the group will release more reports on the state of PC gaming and take a more outspoken stance on issues that concern it. In a new post on his Intel blog, Ployhar also notes that one of the group's goals includes "addressing perceived gaps in membership." Founded in 2008, the PCGA was founded with the aim to act as champion for the platform in an arena where console retail sales grabbed most of the headlines and issues of concern to PC gaming, like hardware specifications, DRM, piracy and perception had little representation. Ployhar took over presidency from fellow Intel vet Randy Stude, who stepped down late in 2010.