AMD is still competition. Not everyone is willing to pay 200-1300$ for a CPU.
If you're a gamer $200 is a drop in the bucket. I never buy the newest fastest anything. I always buy 1-2 steps behind and get it dirt cheap. Heck, you can go out an buy an "old used" tower with a Pent 2-3g with 1g mem for about $200, that will pull this game easy as long as the graphics card is decent. Just switch your hardware over.
AH does NOT require a monster computer, it just has to be setup\streamlined for gaming, I ran AH on a PIII 450 not great but it ran just good enough to fly. I think Grim or Jordie did that too, just for giggles and to make a point.
I have never once bought a packaged computer, they always seem to have 2nd-last self items in them. Some over stock they bought of something that didn't sell on the shelves.
I'm not *buying* another AMD until they get their ducks in a row. They are starting to remind me of 3dfx cards, who btw don't exist anymore. <shrug>
That said, if we're talking package new, affordability is a justifiable issue to consider.