What can I (we) do?

Portal wasn't Valve, Portal became Valve. Granted they're still a ways from becoming ActiValve (or less so, ValvEA), but they've long since shed their indie roots and are quickly snowballing into another untrustworthy conglomerate.

Thankfully, NS2 is no longer affiliated with Source or Valve; however, as much as the NS fan in me wants to pitch the game, you have to face facts: it's not a triple-A (nor is it trying to be one) and is on a tight budget with an overstretched release date (it's been announced for a year already). Although they're alienating many hardcore NS players by trying to do so, I have doubts they're going to successfully reach the mainstream audience and even-so that audience will be gone with the next triple-A title. I doubt it's going to tide anyone over for long except for its current playerbase.

It is true that good indie games are one of the few things preventing collapse (on the other spectrum is DX11 and benchmarks); however, they are by no means the nucleus of the industry. PC Gaming's current nucleus is on the verge of imploding on itself by devouring its own customers through fundamental disrespect and distrust, and DRM schemes that are more akin to a probationary contract.

 

a little ot but what the hell:

i think there may be a resurgence in pc games in the following years. the consoles are ageing and if developers push games to the pc's limits we may have a graphical divide that may entice console gamers to shift towards pc. i think thats what happened a few years back when the ps2 lost steam.
so brace yourselves, we may have a pc gaming renaissance yet - if we get passed 2012

 

Who cares if something is a "triple-A title" or not? The overall quality of a game generally has very little correlation with big budgets and big studios. Sure, big studios can put out games with brilliant graphics, but if the gameplay isn't any good, I couldn't care less.

Quite a lot of the best games of all time weren't "triple-A titles".

Say what you will, but I can't say I agree with you. Perhaps the so-called "mainstream market" for PC might collapse, but if so that's something that was long due. If the big companies go pop and indie games become the mainstay of PC gaming, I think that will still work out in the end. As long as the occasional Portal surfaces, I'll be happy. In fact, perhaps in the absence of domination by big companies, there could be even more games of that sort. There would definitely be much more innovation, and I can't see how that could be a bad thing.

 

Something like 90% of sales. Granted, you and I (and your friends) may not, but NS2 "hold[ing] up their PC gaming for a few years" is a statement that's not going to apply to any significant amount of players, not enough to cause a resurgence in PC gaming.

This is a major source of our demise, that the average consumer mindlessly laps up sloppily made products like MW2 and other overhyped triple-A games, while those that make a genuine product (be they indie or triple-A) are left to suffer in obscurity. We thought it would never happen, we were too niche, to nerdy for the rest of the world to care, but with the advent of consoles and "casual" gaming, I liken our demise to something like today's music industry, where vapid and ostentatious get you front spotlight, while the genuine artists can probably be found in a bakery or meat shop, working to meet ends.

 

This made me very sad

Although for the music industry, obscure artists in particular, torrenting and file sharing (and the internet) is actually a good thing. Without these channels, their music would never be heard by many. I know that I, and many, many people, have discovered more music this way. I would never have heard of 3/4 of the bands I listen to now without soulseek or indietorrents.

I don't think video games and music are very comparable, but I do see your point.

 

FYI. Steam has awesome deals right now on weekend deals including orange box.

 

I know, I had never pirated any valve games as I said earlier, I bought orange box and cs:s and all those other valve games right after downloading steam.