PC Gaming Stays Strong, Despite Shelf Space

According to Matt Ployhar, chairman of the PCGA’s research committee, the report also “indicates a strong demand for more capable mobile based systems by PC Gamers, [who] are playing a central role in fueling healthier margins, and driving innovation in this space worldwide.”

The PCGA’s Horizons Hardware report found that in March the PC gaming software market revenues increased by 3% to a total of $13.1 billion between 2008 and 2009.

This would seem to be good news for disabled gamers, many of whom find PC gaming to be more accessible than consoles. However, let’s look at the information a little more closely.

The PCGA claims that these PCs (both desktops and laptops) that contain a discrete GPU (as opposed to integrated graphics) “can largely be associated with PC gaming as a key usage scenario.” Considering that, for example, people who work with graphics-intensive video and design software are major consumers of these PCs, this statement is a pretty big assumption.

Of course, consider the source: an organization promoting PC gaming, with an internal research group whose findings are cherry-picked for release to the general public, while the full reports are accessible only to PCGA members.

It would be surprising not to find some bias there.

The more telling figure may be the increase in PC gaming revenues. Even 3% is good news in the current economy. For those who have been following our discussion about disabled gamers and digital distribution, it’s interesting to note that the March report found a downturn in sales of boxed PC games, which now total less than 20% of that revenue, with digital sales are making up for that loss.

Are gamers truly driving this increase in computer sales?

It’s impossible to say from surveying merely the type of technology that’s being sold, minus any research on the intended use of that technology, and despite what the PCGA concludes.

Nevertheless, disabled gamers should still be optimistic. Game developers will be hard-pressed to ignore these numbers, and it seems likely that the PC gaming market will stay strong or even improve as a result. The PCGA’s statements may turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy that benefits gamers who rely on the platform that is most accessible to them.

Comments (2)

Daniel Linger

August 13, 2010

Votes: +0

• 
• 
• 

...

Nice bit of news!

Despite the obvious bias given, I do tend to agree that the overall health of PC gaming is increasing.

What should not be discounted is that the core technology has slowed down somewhat, or at least become less critical. Factor in the success of Steam, etc, and you have the ability to pick up a reasonably priced laptop which you can instantly buy games for, which almost always run with little or no hiccups.

Not like in recent years where you'd buy a game, and then hope that the thing would run correctly on your PC. Then of course, you'd have the unenviable situation of trying to take the game back to the shop and explain why you wanted your money back.

This is to say little of the advent of Flash games and the more casual games.

I too see this as a great time for PCs, let's hope it can maintain this growth.

John Bannick

August 18, 2010

Votes: +0

• 
• 
• 

...

Good work, Joey!

Our own company is following these market trends really closely.

www.7128.com

Write comment

Email Name		Comment smaller | bigger
		Subscribe via email (registered users only) Write the displayed characters Add Comment