Blue's News: Comments - PC Gaming Alliance Report

PC Gaming Alliance Report

[Aug 19, 2008, 09:30 am ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

The PC Gaming Alliance that was recently formed to promote the PC platform has issued a report on the state of PC Gaming, echoing the now-familiar premise that traditional sales metrics do not convey its continued success. Here's a portion:

Speaking at the Games Convention Developer’s Conference in Leipzig, PCGA president Randy Stude announced that PC gaming was a $10.7 billion industry during the year of 2007, with retail sales accounting for just 30 percent of total revenues. According to the report, growth was largely driven by online revenues from Asia, the world’s largest market, which is approaching half of total worldwide sales.

Online PC gaming revenue led the way in 2007 with $4.8 billion, nearly double the worldwide retail sales numbers for PC games. Digital distribution sales approached $2 billion, while advertising revenues from websites, portals, and in-game ads accounted for $800 million. Both are expected to grow substantially as major developers and publishers begin to adopt formal strategies to take advantage of new online opportunities.

“Our analysis clearly shows incredible growth in online PC gaming, proof that this industry is far stronger than anyone has reported,” said Stude. “Today’s consumers shop where they live - online.”

According to DFC Intelligence, there is even more room for growth as the broadband market matures.

“By pioneering new business models, the PC has quietly remained the single leading platform for games, not only in terms of consumer usage, but revenue generation,” said David Cole, an analyst with DFC Intelligence. “The most fascinating thing about PC gaming is its ability to attract such a diverse audience, both demographically and geographically. The real key has been the rapid growth in penetration of broadband-connected PCs in all markets around the world. Broadband-connected PCs are the key driver of growth for PC gaming. DFC Intelligence estimated that by the end of 2007 less than one-third of households in the top 20 markets for games had a high-speed Internet connection. That clearly indicates that there is still plenty of growth to come. The initiatives of the PCGA will be a key enabler of growth as they will help the industry identify key trends and opportunities in this rapidly emerging market.”

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15.	No subject	Aug 20, 2008, 00:08	Beaner
	Our analysis clearly shows incredible growth in online PC gaming, proof that this industry is far stronger than anyone has reported,” said Stude. “Today’s consumers shop where they live - online. I would just like to preface this by saying: "Duh.". Online Multiplay has always been superior to consoles and its been around a lot longer. Also even with the growing addition of network gaming on consoles, the game controls in themselves are not as extensive, the games are more watered down and lets not even get into community made content, maps, mods etc. This message was edited at Aug 20, 00:13.

14.	No subject	Aug 19, 2008, 13:22	Paketep
	My enemies I fear not, but protect me from the PCGA Unangst and co. are a bad taste joke for the PC gamers.

13.	Re: No subject	Aug 19, 2008, 12:59	Prez
	PC gaming was 'dead' the instant collective wisdom among developers became "PC gamer = pirate."




	Prez on Soundclick http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=604888

12.	Re: No subject	Aug 19, 2008, 12:54	Quboid
	Indeed. PC gaming will never die but it will (arguably already has) become a training ground for console developers on huge projects. Anyone in their bedroom can write a PC game and with the right people getting together, you'll be able to make good, profitable games for the foreseeable future. Also there are niches like simulations and The Sims which will live on. Things like digital distribution and MMORPGs are profitable for PCs at present but they'll become common place. An internet connected console is great for both of these, although MMOs will need changed - for the better! Digital distribution is perfect, put in some P2P code and you can even shrink your bandwidth bill. The problem with PC gaming isn't that there won't be any games being made, but that good games and developers will be attracted to the money and prestige of multi-platform AAA titles where the PC version is lower priority than the Wii, if bothered with at all. Expect to (continue to) see Funky Game 1 being PC, Funky Game 2 being PC and console and Funky Game 3 being console only, leaving PC gamers to wait for someone else to release Fancy Game 1, where the cycle continues. Quboid




	- Quboid

11.	Re: No subject	Aug 19, 2008, 12:36	Kajetan
	Developing for the PC can be done cheaper. The "cost of entry" is cheaper and the tools more developer-friendly. And THAT is the main reason we will always get games on this platform. You dont have to invest millions to make a profit (ok, if you are Crytek, you have to) and therefore, you dont have to sell a couple of million games to make a profit. Look at Stardock. A niche publisher with niche games for a niche audience ... and they are happy to make business with PC exclusives I hope, i really sincerly hope, that majors like Activision or EA will leave the pc platform for good. Enough devs and small publishers stand ready to take over. Thank you, good by, good riddance, have a good time with consoles, maybe i will even buy some of your games. But ... dear Lord, please, LEAVE ALREADY!!!

10.	Re: No subject	Aug 19, 2008, 12:19	NKD
	i read somewhere recently that in terms of games currently in development, the highest percentage is for PC Yeah, 70%. But that didn't distinguish what kind of games we were talking about. Developing for the PC can be done cheaper. The "cost of entry" is cheaper and the tools more developer-friendly.

9.	Re: PC Gaming Alliance Information Minis	Aug 19, 2008, 12:18	timesten
	Sadly, I think we are heading for the days that the only true AAA titles for PC will be MMORPGs, with single player games either being dumbed down console ports or the occasional gem by an indie developer. until the "next big thing" comes along, then you will get will be clones of that. anyone old enough has seen this all before. i mean before doom, the pc was "only" for adventure and turn based strategy games. then it was "only" for fps and rts. now its "only" for mmo's...

8.	No subject	Aug 19, 2008, 12:14	space captain
	i read somewhere recently that in terms of games currently in development, the highest percentage is for PC




	music from space captain: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=95514&content=music

7.	Re: PC Gaming Alliance Information Minis	Aug 19, 2008, 12:06	Jerykk
	So when is the PCGA actually going to do something useful? You know, you like setting up press events just to show off PC games. Or promoting PC gaming through TV spots. Or persuading developers and publishers to make PC-exclusive games. Oh wait, that's not going to happen because the PCGA guys don't think that the PC needs exclusive games... http://pc.ign.com/articles/899/899363p1.html The PCGA has no intentions to increase or change the number of PC exclusive titles. We are not pushing any agenda for PC-only titles. Idiots. When faced with the choice between a PC and 360 version of a game, the average consumer will choose the 360 version. If PC gaming is to thrive, it needs exclusives.

6.	Re: PC Gaming Alliance Information Minis	Aug 19, 2008, 11:23	Dreagon
	PC Gamers are a whole different crowd..... This is the point that needs to be driven home to the devs (and Microsoft) again, and again, again. The more that devs move to consoles, and thus PC games become console ports, the more that the single player PC market will decline. Sadly, I think we are heading for the days that the only true AAA titles for PC will be MMORPGs, with single player games either being dumbed down console ports or the occasional gem by an indie developer.




	------ Carpe Papilla "@Dreagon - Comparing Oblivion to Deer Hunter was just ridiculous and you should be ashamed of yourself... it just made you look like a Class-A cunt." - theyarecomingforyou

5.	No subject	Aug 19, 2008, 11:23	zirik
	it would be nice if pc gaming is in good hands and flourishing. but the reality is that games which used to be pc exclusives are becoming console first then pc ports later. i would never count blizzard into the equation on the state of pc gaming. they are slowly killing the pc gaming market with their subscription model. sitting on one game making huge money is fine for developers but at least do something with that money. dont be lazy blizzard. im tired of sequels and expansion packs.

4.	Re: PC Gaming Alliance Information Minister	Aug 19, 2008, 10:55	InBlack
	Yay! No seriously, like any of us doubted this. PC Gaming is No. 1. when it comes to online multiplayer, and digital distribution. Developers need to play to the platforms strength, instead of making console ripoffs (ports) and expecting instant success! PC Gamers are a whole different crowd, and the insta guaranteed-success of console games just aint gonna happen on the PC platform




	I have a nifty blue line!

3.	Re: PC Gaming Alliance Information Minister	Aug 19, 2008, 10:44	Kajetan
	Is there any independent confirmation of the numbers this guy is spouting? A few months ago, there were some numbers flying around, indicating that Casual Gaming on the PC alone (in the form of Reflexive.net, PopCap and others) makes two (or was it three?) billion dollar a year. We know, that Blizzard has to rent new money vaults on a monthly basis. We know, that the company behind Maple Story is making millions and millions and we know, that the F2P- and Microtransaction model in Asia generates a huge profit. And we know that even EA, Ubisoft and the other Majors are still making good profit with pc games (Sims anyone? Assassins Creed PC mainly responsible for a good quarterly result at Ubisoft and so on). Yes, those figures might be true. PC gaming is not "dying". a) it's just changing its revenue stream from classic retail to online gaming and distribution. b) it's easier for the major publishers to make a profit with consoles. So they leave this platform, especially in the States. This message was edited at Aug 19, 10:45.

2.	Re: PC Gaming Alliance Information Minister	Aug 19, 2008, 10:29	Overon
	Well since this information is coming from PCGA president it needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Is there any independent confirmation of the numbers this guy is spouting?

1.	PC Gaming Alliance Information Minister	Aug 19, 2008, 09:47	NKD
	says: "The consoles are not in the lead. They are not in control of any gaming industry. I tell you this. It is all a lie. They lie. It is a hollywood movie. You do not believe them." and "Their infidels are committing suicide by the hundreds on the gates of PC gaming. Be assured, PC gaming is safe, protected."

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