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Forums - Sales Discussion - UK is NOT the 2nd largest gaming market

averyblund on 05 July 2009

Seems to me how you define big. If it is influence, I'd give it to Japan. If you include handhelds Id'd give it to Japan. But if you are looking at home consoles and a healthy console ecosystem then the UK certainly wins.

As a side note, it is common knowledge that Germany is PC-centric, but why? Maybe I should move.



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SamuelRSmith on 05 July 2009
averyblund said:
Seems to me how you define big. If it is influence, I'd give it to Japan. If you include handhelds Id'd give it to Japan. But if you are looking at home consoles and a healthy console ecosystem then the UK certainly wins.

As a side note, it is common knowledge that Germany is PC-centric, but why? Maybe I should move.

Just a hunch, but perhaps the PC industry is larger because the Gov't has less control over how people access the content on the PC. I dunno, are games also blocked from things like Steam and stuff?



wholikeswood on 05 July 2009

Maybe strong software sales and online store purchases in the UK compensate?



Slimebeast on 05 July 2009
fmc83 said:
crumas2 said:
fmc83 said:

As some people already stated, many people import UK-games due to the low pound. Being from Germany, out of my 24 wii-games I imported 11 from the UK and 1 from the Netherlands (uncensored RE4). So that must somehow give that 60 million population a boost software wise.

As stated before as well, most of my friends play games on their pc, but probably just 1/3 own a console.

Just to make it clear for the Americans again: Give me a six-hour-drive by car and I'll be able to go to one or more then over ten different countries. This doesn't apply to UK-citizens so their market is somehow more closed as well. No people buying games from somewhere else, but many from somewhere else buying from the UK.

This is an interesting statement.  I know many people in Germany speak English as a second language, but I'm surprised to hear that those who speak German as a primary language would purchase the English version of a console game instead of the German version to save money.  Or were those titles not available in German?

I study English literature and linguistics at university, so it's not a big thing for me. I don't care if the game is in english or german.

 

But there are more things to be taken into consideration. All the wii games in Europe are assembled in Germany (even Madworld was, which isn't even out in Germany). So most of the versions even have german language or subtitles in it. @all the Uk-Wii-gamers: would you mind to look at your games to prove my point?

 

Apart from Madworld and the RE4 uncut-version all the games were available (well some of them dubbed down), but, it wasn't a big thing, because I don't care if I see blood when I shoot someone in a game or need to see Nazi-symbols.

 

I just import because of the price, which is easily half than the price in Germany.


No... i think ur heavily overexaggerating now. Games in the UK can't be that cheap can they?

Can you give me a tip from which UK webstore to order games?



SamuelRSmith on 05 July 2009

@Slimebeast, after about 2 weeks, both Prince of Persia and Mirror's Edge were £20 in most stores, the competition and the recession brings down the prices fast, that coupled with the weak pound made importing a pretty good idea earlier in the year and Christmas.



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Slimebeast on 05 July 2009

^Samuel, Mirros Edge and Prince of Persia were both heavy flops though, so that's not surprising. They dropped quickly to the bargain bins all over Europe.



FootballFan on 05 July 2009

Bioshock and LittleBigPlanet can now be found at the £10 range. In the rest of Europe they are at least 2-3 times more.



SamuelRSmith on 05 July 2009
Slimebeast said:
^Samuel, Mirror's Edge and Prince of Persia were both heavy flops though, so that's not surprising. They dropped quickly to the bargain bins all over Europe.

I just used those as examples as they were they games I bought. Pretty much all other titles (except the real heavy sellers) were at the same price.



goddog on 05 July 2009
leo-j said:

According to some its believed that UK is currently the 2nd largest gaming market, in fact its not.

 

According to famitsu these are LTD sales for the year for the top 5 selling gaming platforms:

 

1. Nintendo DS - 1,621,939
2. Playstation portable - 1,177,511
3. Nintendo Wii - 639,788
4. Playstation 3 - 552,601
5. Xbox 360 - 214,221

Total: about 4.2 million

 

In comparison the first half of the year the UK's gaming hardware sales(according to gfk) have been as follows:

 

Xbox 360: 600,000
Nintendo DS: 400,000
Playstation 3: 300,000
NIntendo Wii: 300,000
Playstation portable: 100,000

Total: about 1.7 million

In comparison, it is clear Japan is still "by far" the larger gaming market DESPITE being in the biggest recession it has ever been.

why are you using LTD vs near term...why not ner term vs near term, or LTD vs LTD  ?

 

I had though japan was still the larger market for every thing but home consoles spcifically and why does it matter to you if it is not? 



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fmc83 on 05 July 2009
Slimebeast said:
fmc83 said:

 

I just import because of the price, which is easily half than the price in Germany.


No... i think ur heavily overexaggerating now. Games in the UK can't be that cheap can they?

Can you give me a tip from which UK webstore to order games?

 

Here just some comparisions between some wii games on amazon.de (A) and play.com (P), I made two weeks ago. But remember, that this UK-based store isn't giving a direct exchange rate. They include higher shipment costs in the Euro price there.

Need for Speed Undercover A: 44,95 € P:19,49  €

Rayman's Raving Rabbids TV  Party A: 36,95 € P: 19,49 €

Sim City Creator A:33,99 € P: 15,49€

FIFA 09 A:49,95 € P:23,49 €

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games A: 39,99 € P: 23,49 €

 

But remember, that this UK-based store isn't giving a direct exchange rate. They include higher shipment costs in the Euro price there. So given you would really get your games for the exchange-rate of 1 Euro= 1,17 GBP

It looks even better for importing.

Ghostbusters PS3 A: 64,95 Euro P:39,99 GBP = 46 Euro or 51 Euro they want with their "special" exchange rate.

Prototype PS3: A:59,95 Euro P:P:39,99 GBP = 46 Euro or 51 Euro they want with their "special" exchange rate.

Virtua Tennis Wii: A: 45,95 Euro P:29,99 GBP = 35 Euro or 38,99 Euro (again their "special")

 

But the key to the price difference is, that the prices in the UK drop way faster than in Germany. That's what I was referring to, when I said, that the price could sometimes easily be half of it. It's hard to find a wii game i.e. anywhere below 20 Euro, while it's easier in the UK.



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