There is plenty software makers can do to make games more playable and enjoyable - start looking at the scripts, story play and character acting. The console gaming segment has made for fairly linear stories to get to check-points. Look, I'm not saying that the 80s games were terrific either with the "get object A and take to room B" gameplay, but there was only so much to stuff into 64Kb of memory. Some RPG open stories and environments, like Oblivion and Sacred show how characeters that want to explore and advance their character the way they want can do it. Far Cry 2 is a rare modern shooter that has the same concept.
I'm sure it is cheaper to explore this avenue and probably more succesful than to invest in working out how to get quad cores cranking. I'm still using DX9 and happy with it.
Now lets go get that Kilrathi scum, Paladin!