Game revenues to grow to $70 billion by 2017 - DFC

[Gahars]

It's sometimes easy to forget that the video game industry is, well, an industry. As it turns out, it's becoming an increasingly lucrative one.

DFC Intelligence has predicted that global revenue from video game software will grow from $52 billion in 2011 to $70 billion in 2017. This growth of revenue is split three ways between PCs with 39 percent, game console systems with 36 percent, and mobile devices with 25 percent.

"While the game industry is expanding on all fronts with new demographic groups playing games on a regular basis, the core consumer still remains male, age 12 to 30," says David Cole, CEO of DFC Intelligence. "In every segment, the key growth factor is improving access and monetization capabilities to that core demographic. Digital distribution, already widely accepted among core gamers globally, is clearly broadening access to products and driving much of the industry growth."

Games Industry

Luckily, I was able to get a response from the industry on this new development.

Now, I'm sure that the revenues for television and film exceed these numbers by a wide margin. Games are still somewhat of a fledgling market; as this growth shows, though, it only has room to grow even more.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

If I said I was surprised by this I would be lying.

 

[machomuu]

I wish this had been born from something other than rehashery, shovelware, overpriced DLC, and exploiting the consumer.

 

[DeadLocked]

I'm surprised that mobile is the lowest percentage. What with Angry birds, and the like.

Guess EA hasn't fully tapped into that market yet.

 

[Gahars]

I'm surprised that mobile is the lowest percentage. What with Angry birds, and the like.

Guess EA hasn't fully tapped into that market yet.

25% of the entire market isn't too shabby (especially considering how small and cheap many of those games are). I imagine that number's only going to go up over time as more and more people pick up mobile gaming.

 

[Qtis]

PC at 39%. That's awefully big considering that it seems that the media keeps drumming consoles games every day and the PC side of them seem to be a much smaller part. Good to see PC gaming still doing well.

EDIT: Do handheld consoles count towards mobile or gaming consoles?

 

[Fear Zoa]

Wonder how long till it peaks then crashes and then companies only have to appeal to their "core" audiences again.

 

[FireGrey]

mobile can't really make more than gaming systems.
This is Australian prices btw.
A mobile game is about $5 right?
Well a game for the PS3/360/Wii is about $100.
People have far more than 2 games for their consoles while a mobile gamer has around 10 games.
Mobile gamers spend about $50-$100 on games while gamers spend about $500-$1000 on their games and system.
Big difference.

 

[Qtis]

mobile can't really make more than gaming systems.
This is Australian prices btw.
A mobile game is about $5 right?
Well a game for the PS3/360/Wii is about $100.
People have far more than 2 games for their consoles while a mobile gamer has around 10 games.
Mobile gamers spend about $50-$100 on games while gamers spend about $500-$1000 on their games and system.
Big difference.

But there are a load more people playing mobile vs consoles. It could just as well lead to being higher than just the 25%. Especially if it's possible to hook a mobile device to a TV an use it as a console of sorts. Bluetooth controllers and such. We'll see.

 

[FireGrey]

mobile can't really make more than gaming systems.
This is Australian prices btw.
A mobile game is about $5 right?
Well a game for the PS3/360/Wii is about $100.
People have far more than 2 games for their consoles while a mobile gamer has around 10 games.
Mobile gamers spend about $50-$100 on games while gamers spend about $500-$1000 on their games and system.
Big difference.

But there are a load more people playing mobile vs consoles. It could just as well lead to being higher than just the 25%. Especially if it's possible to hook a mobile device to a TV an use it as a console of sorts. Bluetooth controllers and such. We'll see.

There may be more mobile gamers but since they aren't too dedicated to gaming they end up spending much less than a gamer.
Most mobile gamers probably just spend $20 on games, or download whatever free ones they can.

 

[Satangel]

39 % for PC! Wow, didn't expect that.... Really happy for it though, PC gaming > above all else for me

 

[DSGamer64]

PC at 39%. That's awefully big considering that it seems that the media keeps drumming consoles games every day and the PC side of them seem to be a much smaller part. Good to see PC gaming still doing well.

EDIT: Do handheld consoles count towards mobile or gaming consoles?

With console hardware so dated, many people will turn towards PC gaming as the performance continues to improve. If you look at the actual trend of console sales from this generation, the 360, PS3 and Wii all sold very average numbers. While the 360 sold reasonably more then it's predecessor, as did the Wii (for different reasons obviously), the PS3 sold over 50% less units then the PS2. Also, relatively well performing PC's are becoming more affordable, you can get something that plays games pretty well for 600 bucks these days, especially in the prebuilt market.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

With console hardware so dated, many people will turn towards PC gaming as the performance continues to improve. If you look at the actual trend of console sales from this generation, the 360, PS3 and Wii all sold very average numbers. While the 360 sold reasonably more then it's predecessor, as did the Wii (for different reasons obviously), the PS3 sold over 50% less units then the PS2. Also, relatively well performing PC's are becoming more affordable, you can get something that plays games pretty well for 600 bucks these days, especially in the prebuilt market.

PC gaming is also much more of a "closed" community than consoles. Consoles generally try to get new audiences and such, PC games have a set audience and it's rare that someone who hasn't been well versed in PC gaming will suddenly have the desire to go for it. For an average consumer, a $150 (?) Wii, $200 Xbox 360, or $250 PS3 seems like the obvious choice over a $1000 PC.

However the PC audience is incredibly dedicated and probably won't jump ship any time soon. PCs also aren't subject to such divisions as consoles. A PC is a PC, almost everyone will have a different build. It's not like a Wii or Xbox 360 or PS3 which often square off against each other and try to jump for exclusives and competition. The only "competition" on PCs nowadays is based on games and certain digital distribution services. Like, I dunno, Battlefield 3 vs. Call of Duty, and on that note, Origin vs. Steam (even though it's really not a competition).

 

[Zetta_x]

There is not enough evidence to suggest that better hardware => better games.

 

[Qtis]

There is not enough evidence to suggest that better hardware => better games.

But there is evidence that lower hardware specs => no interest in making games/porting. Or that ports are lousy.

Better specs just give better possibilities of games, but don't guarantee a great success.

 

[DS1]

There is not enough evidence to suggest that better hardware => better games.

But there is evidence that lower hardware specs => no interest in making games/porting. Or that ports are lousy.

Better specs just give better possibilities of games, but don't guarantee a great success.

Not if good devs can't figure out how to develop for it/ don't want to waste resources. Many devs took the "PSP is good enough" route, and their games didn't suffer for it.

 

[Zetta_x]

I think we are trying to hard to make better looking games. I think any attempt to make games look better is wasting time/resources/money...

 

[Deleted_171835]

I think we are trying to hard to make better looking games. I think any attempt to make games look better is wasting time/resources/money...

So would you be happy if all games looked like this?,

(Resident Evil 2)

There's nothing wrong with striving for better visuals as long as the emphasis on visuals does not interfere with the quality of gameplay.

 

[Guild McCommunist]

dfgdfg

 

[Gahars]

I think we are trying to hard to make better looking games. I think any attempt to make games look better is wasting time/resources/money...

To follow on soulx's point, better graphics offer better, more expansive, and more immersive game worlds. They can free developers to create and explore new worlds in a way no other medium can.