| FaRmLaNd said: What pc has is a really really hardcore market (which is quite large in Europe and Asia), an indie market and a massive casual market. Its very decentralised though and thus pretty much impossible to track so no-one really knows how bit it is. |
Exactly, the point I was going to make.
But to seperate it further here are all the revenue streams of PC games (and what the future of console gaming will come to represent):
Trackable Stats:
1. Boxed Game Sales (Crysis, BioShock, Call of Duty 4, etc).
Untrackable Stats:
1. Microtransactions (The Sims)
2. Advertising (Webtanget and all of the flash games)
3. MMO's (World of Warcraft)
4. Digital Downloads (Steam)
Back when Boxed Game Sales were the only way Game Companies made money ... well PC was growing. Now that PC have evolved to incorporate 4 new ways to make money ... NPD hasnt. Thats why when all stats are revealed, it is assumed PC Gaming is dead. On the contrary, PC Gaming is by far the most PROFITABLE, the FASTEST growing, and the LARGEST gaming market.
1. Blizzard has shown why it is the most profitable ...
2. The number of online games avaliable, and pretty sure checking Alexia or other webtracking services will show how many people play some sort of games on the PC.
3. And of course everyone has a PC so everyone is a potential gamer. For example, If someone who doesnt play any games such as Crysis, or BioShock, but they play several hours of Bejeweled ... that is PC Gaming with advertising revenue.
Please keep in mind the above 3 applies to all the ways of making money, including the non-trackables.
