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NPD Shows 20% Drop

[Mar 08, 2012, 9:14 pm ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

Forbes has the February report on U.S. retail video game sales from NPD Group, which covers new packaged retail games, and does not account for used games or games sold online. Word is: "Overall sales were $1.06 billion, down from $1.33 billion. Hardware sales were down 18% to $381.4 million from $466.9 million. Accessories sales were $215.2 million, down 16% from $256.9 million. Video game software sales were $464.4 million, down 23% from $601.4 million. If you include PC games, software sales were $485.7 million, down 24% from $637.4 million."

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Re: NPD Shows 20% Drop

Mar 8, 2012, 21:25

ASeven

The gaming industry is getting close to 2003 levels. Console retail market is going to hell and at this point I doubt any new console, especially if the rumored specs are any true (A freaking 6670 for the next Xbox), will revert the trend. Too many alternatives, too many better business models, too many better games or better entertainment than AAA crap out there, simply too many alternatives. Gamers are getting tired of being publisher's personal wallets, even console gamers. Even using the tired old fallacy of not having new releases doesn't cut it since this drop and January's are far more significant than any drop in the past 3 years in months that were far drier in terms of no releases than the current one. Ah well at this point I guess it's only fair to say that unless current publishers drastically change direction and business models this gaming industry is good as gone in its current format. Then again if the publishers are gone and the middle men extinguished in the gaming industry, as it seems more and more new and veteran devs are following that route of going indie, I don't think anyone will miss them publishers. Maybe then the industry can again relive its golden age of the 90s.

Subject

Comment [quote="ASeven"Mar 8, 2012, 21:25]The gaming industry is getting close to 2003 levels. Console retail market is going to hell and at this point I doubt any new console, especially if the rumored specs are any true (A freaking 6670 for the next Xbox), will revert the trend. Too many alternatives, too many better business models, too many better games or better entertainment than AAA crap out there, simply too many alternatives. Gamers are getting tired of being publisher's personal wallets, even console gamers. Even using the tired old fallacy of not having new releases doesn't cut it since this drop and January's are far more significant than any drop in the past 3 years in months that were far drier in terms of no releases than the current one. Ah well at this point I guess it's only fair to say that unless current publishers drastically change direction and business models this gaming industry is good as gone in its current format. Then again if the publishers are gone and the middle men extinguished in the gaming industry, as it seems more and more new and veteran devs are following that route of going indie, I don't think anyone will miss them publishers. Maybe then the industry can again relive its golden age of the 90s. [/quote]

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