We all know empirically that the video gaming industry is growing. But lately we've been getting some hard numbers showing just how much the industry is growing. From MCV, the Entertainment Retailers’ Association's numbers.
Now those numbers don't include digital downloads, and they're UK only, but they're still a good barometer for just how much clout the gaming industry has right now. The numbers get even more impressive when you compare them to those from just last year (A more than 20% increase).
I'm fairly certain that the music industry would benefit most from adding in the numbers from digital downloads, but I'm no longer sure how much of an advantage it would be anymore.
Anyway, you can't say that it's a $50 average. What about the handheld systems?
$30 average.
Games still have a ways to go. Just get games to be cheap (on shelves) and short (so I can play a game a week) and with cheap consoles and marketing based on what games are on shelves, not the future games. As movies and music they still remind you of what is already out and good. Games fall off the face of the planet after release date... aside from the copies in stores.
This is good for the industry, no matter how you look at it. Of course games cost more than movies and music, but the point is that the industry is growing and putting up bigger numbers. Nobody is expecting better penetration than the music industry at this point, but it's moving in the right direction.
Remember that the UK also has the highest number of CDs sold per person in the world as well, so it's not going to get any better for music elsewhere.
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It is pretty clear gaming is not near music and gaming when it comes to the people they reach. The number 1 selling Console game in North America last year was Halo 3. It reached what 4 million + people? Pretty impressive, but how many people saw Spider-Man 3, etc... ?
It is pretty clear gaming is not near music and gaming when it comes to the people they reach. The number 1 selling Console game in North America last year was Halo 3. It reached what 4 million + people? Pretty impressive, but how many people saw Spider-Man 3, etc... ?
How many people will Audiosurf reach on Steam?
I'd say that games are getting close to what other mediums have achieved. Ice Cube told me to say that we aren't there yet. We're on the path though, and that's what counts.
I think once they factor in digital downloads gaming will have eclipsed both, if not both combined. Yet, gaming is also expensive and things cost more now than they did last year.
Including digital downloads in those numbers would probably increase the growth by quite a bit. Between Steam and smaller games on Xbox Live, that's a lot of money. And maybe somewhere someone is using that Games For Windows service...
Quote:
Originally Posted by 51|RandoM
Music piracy is quite a bit easier in most cases, probably another factor.
I wouldn't underestimate the influence of piracy on PC game sales.
We all know empirically that the video gaming industry is growing. But lately we've been getting some hard numbers showing just how much the industry is growing. From MCV, the Entertainment Retailers’ Association's numbers. Now those numbers don't include digital downloads, and they're UK only, but they're still a good barometer for just how much clout the gaming industry has right now. The numbers get even more impressive when you compare them to those from just last year (A more than 20% increase).
I'm fairly certain that the music industry would benefit most from adding in the numbers from digital downloads, but I'm no longer sure how much of an advantage it would be anymore.
a good barometer? No it isn't. Look at the difference in sales that range from country to country. It's different if you're in Japan, US, UK. Those numbers could be ass backwards for all we know.
I really don't see what this proves. Skewing the results by not including downloads definitely hurts music, especially in the US. iTunes is now the second largest retailer of music in the United States, behind only Wal-Mart.
It makes sense that games make a lot of money, since (as others have pointed out), they cost more! The biggest game still has nowhere near the penetration of the most popular albums or the biggest blockbusters.
I really don't see what this proves. Skewing the results by not including downloads definitely hurts music, especially in the US. iTunes is now the second largest retailer of music in the United States, behind only Wal-Mart.
It makes sense that games make a lot of money, since (as others have pointed out), they cost more! The biggest game still has nowhere near the penetration of the most popular albums or the biggest blockbusters.
Wii Sports > 20 million, and God knows how many people have played it at a nursing home or family gathering or other social event. Gaming's no Britney Spears, but Nintendo is close.
Gaming's no Britney Spears, but Nintendo is close.
So, Nintendo is a dirty whore that has no talent? Or are they close to being one? I know you were just talking about popularity, but popularity isn't always "good."
So, Nintendo is a dirty whore that has no talent? Or are they close to being one? I know you were just talking about popularity, but popularity isn't always "good."
That sounds about right. I wouldn't compare anything favorably to ol' Brit.
Or are they close to being one?
