The PC Gaming Alliance was founded in 2008 by a group of influential developers and hardware manufacturers to help tackle the industry-wide problems that faced the PC. Primary issues included piracy, DRM and complicated hardware labelling that provided a barrier of entry to new PC gamers. The group has mostly worked to produce reports on the state of PC gaming, and recently released figures at GDC showing the booming PC market .

It seems that all is not well at the PC Gaming alliance. Recently the new head of the PCGA, announced that major founding members Microsoft and Nvidia had left the group, without giving any reason. Now, Dell have downgraded their involvement, and Sony have left the group completely.

BigDownload notes that Dell's status as a promoter has been downgraded to "contributor" on the site's member listings, and Sony DADC (responsible for DRM initiatives like SecureRom), have left. Capcom and Epic games are now the only developers left in a promoting role. Activision left in 2009, and Microsoft and Nvidia departed late last year.

Only Activision have given a reason for leaving the PCGA, saying that they didn't have the budget to remain active members. The new head of the PCGA, Matt Ployhar, recently announced that the group was looking to move away from just releasing reports, working towards becoming a unifying voice for PC gaming. "We'd like to take a more visible and vocal stance on key issues we're being faced with," he says, listing Piracy, DRM, clearer performance guidelines and ease of use as the main issues facing PC gaming today.