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Published by: Mintel International Group Ltd.
Published: Jul. 1, 2009 - 117 Pages
Table of Contents
- SCOPE AND THEMES
- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Advertising creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Hardware launches drive sales cycle
- New competition from the web and multifunction devices
- Software to fuel near-term sales
- Dedicated stores, web play key roles in sales and marketing
- Uncertain economy, aging population could retard sales
- PS3 not living up to competing seventh-generation consoles
- Gaming is for the young
- Purchase model prevails
- Gaming as a new way to socialize
- MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
- Key points
- Launches drive sales
- Figure 1: Total U.S. sales and forecast of gaming hardware and software, at current prices, 2004-12
- Figure 2: Total U.S. sales and forecast of gaming hardware and software, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2004-12
- COMPETITIVE CONTEXT
- Online games
- Figure 3: Online entertainment usage, by age, February 2009
- Figure 4: Online, MMORPG, and social networking game usage, by key demographics, March 2008
- PCs move from work to play
- Figure 5: Use of video games on home PCs vs. consoles, by key demographics, April 2007-June 2008
- Gaming on the go
- Figure 6: Ownership of handheld gaming devices and game play on MP3 players and cell phones, by age and HH income, October 2007-December 2008
- Figure 7: Flight control iPhone game, image
- SEGMENT PERFORMANCE
- Key points
- Software to drive near-term revenues
- Figure 8: U.S. sales of gaming products at current prices, by segment, 2006 and 2008
- SEGMENT PERFORMANCE—GAMING HARDWARE
- Key points
- Proprietary model drives prices
- Figure 9: Pricing as of launch for major gaming consoles, 2000-06
- New functions could help drive sales
- Hardware sales and forecast
- Figure 10: U.S. sales and forecast of gaming hardware, at current prices, 2004-12
- Figure 11: Total U.S. sales and forecast of gaming hardware, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2004-12
- New risks for portables
- SEGMENT PERFORMANCE—GAMING SOFTWARE
- Key points
- Software sales roughly track console launches
- Figure 12: Top 10 console games, by U.S. sales, 2008
- Figure 13: Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto IV image
- Secondary market, competing platforms could dampen sales
- Software sales and forecast
- Figure 14: U.S. sales and forecast of gaming software, at current prices, 2004-12
- Figure 15: Total U.S. sales and forecast of gaming software, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2004-13
- Growing the audience for gaming
- Figure 16: Video games played, by genre, by age, October 2007-December 2008
- RETAIL CHANNELS
- Gaming benefits from relatively broad distribution
- Figure 17: Channels through which video games are purchased, 2008
- Secondary market plays an important role
- Downloads take hold
- MARKET DRIVERS
- The recession
- Figure 18: U.S. unemployment, October 2008-June 2009
- Figure 19: Disposable personal income and personal consumption, October 2009-May 2009
- Households with children
- Figure 20: Gaming hardware ownership, by children in household, October 2007-December 2008
- Empowered consumers seek control over content
- Figure 21: Desire for video content storage and recall, by age, November 2008
- An aging U.S. population
- Figure 22: Population, by age, 2004-14
- Health and safety concerns
- LEADING COMPANIES
- Key points
- Three players compete for hardware dominance
- Figure 23: Gaming console ownership, by brand, October 2007-December 2008
- Software a wider but narrowing field
- BRAND QUALITIES
- Electronic Arts
- Microsoft
- Nintendo
- Sony Electronics
- INNOVATION AND INNOVATORS
- Project Natal
- Spore
- WildTangent
- Traditional advertising
- Figure 24: Advertising spending, by leading gaming brands, 2007 and 2008
- Figure 25: Advertising spending, by leading gaming software and retailer brands, 2007 and 2008
- In-store promotions and bundled/special-edition products
- Online marketing
- Licensing partnerships
- Television advertising
- Apple iPod touch
- Figure 26: Apple iPod touch television ad, 2009
- Nintendo DS
- Figure 27: Nintendo DS television ad, 2008
- Gaming in the Interactive World Nintendo Wii Fit
- Figure 28: Nintendo Wii Fit television ad, 2008
- Sony PlayStation 3
- Figure 29: Sony PlayStation 3 television ad, 2008
- OWNERSHIP
- Age more relevant than income in determining usage
- Figure 30: Trended ownership/usage of video game consoles and handheld devices, by key demographics, January 2006-October 2006 and October 2007-December 2008
- Gaming nearly universal among 9-14s
- Figure 31: Ownership/usage of video games—kids/teens, by age and age/gender, January 2006-October 2006 and October 2007-December 2008
- Figure 32: Ownership of handheld gaming devices—kids/teens, by age and age/gender, October 2007-December 2008
- PS2 still the most commonly owned console
- Figure 33: Top 10 consoles/portables owned—adults, by gender, October 2007-December 2008
- PS2 dominates amongst 18-24s
- Figure 34: Top 10 consoles/portables owned or played, by age, October 2007-December 2008
- Wii the only console for which penetration increases with household income
- Figure 35: Top 10 consoles/portables owned or played, by HH income, October 2007-December 2008
- Kids take gaming to go
- Figure 36: Top 10 consoles/portables owned or played—kids, by age and age/gender, October 2007-December 2008
- Interest in handhelds declines amongst teens
- Figure 37: Top 10 consoles/portables owned/played—teens, by age and age/gender, October 2007-December 2008
- PURCHASE BEHAVIOR
- Average annual spend on video games—$63
- Figure 38: Mean annual spend on video games, by gender, age, and HH income, March 2009
- Only two games purchased per year on average
- Figure 39: Frequency of video game purchase/rental, by gender, age and HH income, October 2007-December 2008
- Borrowing and rental rare amongst younger kids
- Figure 40: Kids’ attitudes towards purchasing/renting games, by age and age/gender, October 2007-December 2008
- Figure 41: Teen attitudes towards purchasing/renting games, by age and age/gender, October 2007-December 2008
- Women more likely to buy games as gifts than for themselves
- Figure 42: Buying to play vs. gift purchases, by gender, age and HH income, March 2009
- Timing of purchase
- Figure 43: Timing of new game purchases—adults, by age, October 2007-December 20008
- Teens buy early but not on day of release
- Figure 44: Timing of new game purchases—teens, by age and gender/age, October 2007-December 20008
- USAGE PATTERNS
- Xbox 360 owners most engaged
- Men play nearly twice as many hours as women
- Figure 45: Hours of game play—adults, by gender, October 2007-December 2008
- 25-34 year olds spend most time gaming
- Figure 46: Hours of game play—adults, by age, October 2007-December 2008
- Highest-income households spend less time gaming
- Figure 47: Hours of game play—adults, by HH income, October 2007-December 2008
- Boys aged 9-11 the true gaming champions
- Figure 48: Hours of game play—kids, by age and age/gender, October 2007-December 2008
- Children graduate from simpler platforms to more complex ones
- Games too solitary for teen girls
- Figure 49: Hours of game play—teens, by age and age/gender, October 2007-December 2008
- Gaming in the Interactive World GAMES AS SOCIAL MEDIA
- Console gaming typically more social than PC gaming
- Figure 50: Who adults play games with, by platform, March 2009
- Men seeking to connect via gaming
- Figure 51: Attitudes towards gaming with others, by gender, March 2009
- The younger the gamer, the more social the gamer
- Figure 52: Attitudes towards gaming with others, by age, March 2009
- Social games for high-income households
- Figure 53: Attitudes towards gaming with others, by HH income, March 2009
- Kids play alone or with peers—not with older/younger kids
- Figure 54: Who kids play games with, by age and gender/age, October 2007-December 2008
- It’s a family affair, and especially so for women
- Figure 55: Level of game play and social game play, by gender, March 2009
- 18-34 year olds most likely to game as a social activity
- Figure 56: Level of game play and social game play, by age, March 2009
- AVATARS AND MICRO-TRANSACTIONS
- Women virtually neck and neck with men
- Figure 57: Gaming avatar usage and virtual gaming purchases, by gender, March 2009
- Youngest adults most keen on avatars and virtual purchases
- Figure 58: Gaming avatar usage and virtual gaming purchases, by age, March 2009
- GENRES PLAYED
- Action/adventure still number one
- Figure 59: Game genres played—adults, by gender, October 2007-December 2008
- Cards, casino games a good bet for seniors
- Figure 60: Game genres played—adults, by age, October 2007-December 2008
- Action/adventure tops with kids
- Figure 61: Game genres played—kids, by age and age/gender, October 2007-December 2008
- Interest in most genres declines among older teens
- Figure 62: Game genres played—teens, by age and age/gender, October 2007-December 2008
- GAMING AND THE WEB
- Incidence of game play connected to the web—adults and kids/teens
- Figure 63: Incidence of game play while connected to the web—adults, by gender, age and HH income, October 2007-December 2008
- Kids and teens more likely to play games connected to the web
- Figure 64: Incidence of game play while connected to the web—kids/teens, by age and gender/age, October 2007-December 2008
- Online console gaming behavior
- Figure 65: Online console gaming behavior, by gender, March 2009
- Youngest adults most keen on web activities
- Figure 66: Online console gaming behavior, by age, March 2009
- ATTITUDES AND MOTIVATIONS
- Self-perception as “hardcore” vs. “casual” gamers
- Figure 67: Perceived game skill level, by age, March 2009
- Women want self-improvement, men like advertising
- Figure 68: Attitudes toward newer elements of gaming, by gender, March 2009
- Improving dexterity and brain fitness popular across age groups
- Figure 69: Attitudes toward newer elements of gaming, by age, March 2009
- GAMING AND VIRAL MARKETING
- Men more invested in viral marketing
- Figure 70: Additional attitudes towards gaming—the impact of friends, by gender, March 2009
- 18-24s keen on spreading the word
- Figure 71: Additional attitudes towards gaming—the impact of friends, by age, March 2009
- IMPACT OF RACE/HISPANIC ORIGIN
- Ownership and usage
- Figure 72: Gaming on handheld gaming devices, MP3 players and cell phones, by race/Hispanic origin, March 2009
- Asians most keen on Wii
- Figure 73: Top 10 gaming consoles/portables owned or played—adults, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2007-December 2008
- Blacks spend twice as much as Asians on games
- Figure 74: Mean spend on video games, by race/Hispanic origin, March 2009
- Blacks and Hispanics buy and rent more games
- Figure 75: Frequency of video game purchase/rental, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2007-December 2008
- UGC
- One in four give thumbs up to UGC gaming
- Figure 76: Attitudes towards user-generated content in games, by gender, March 2009
- One in three 18-34s like UGC gaming
- Figure 77: Attitudes towards user-generated content in games, by age, March 2009
- APPENDIX: SURVEY RESULTS FOR ONLINE TEENS
- Figure 78: Dedicated gaming device ownership among teens, by age and gender, March 2009
- Figure 79: Gaming as a social activity among teens, by age and gender, March 2009
- Figure 80: Avatars and micro-transactions among teens, by age and gender, March 2009
- Figure 81: PC gaming among teens, by age and gender, March 2009
- Figure 82: Dedicated gaming handheld vs. cell phone gaming among teens, by age and gender, March 2009
- Figure 83: PC vs. console game play in the past month among teens, by age and gender, March 2009
- Figure 84: Purchasing habits and word of mouth marketing among teens, by age and gender, March 2009
- Figure 85: Interest in UGC gaming, among teens, by age and gender, March 2009
- APPENDIX: OTHER USEFUL CONSUMER TABLES
- Gaming and types of games played
- Figure 86: Incidence of handheld and cell phone gaming, by age and HH income, March 2009
- Figure 87: Game genres played—adults, by HH income, October 2007-December 2008
- Genre preferences by race/Hispanic origin
- Figure 88: Game genres played—adults, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2007-December 2008
- Asians more likely to play video games
- Figure 89: Ownership/usage of video games, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2007-December 2008
- APPENDIX: TRADE ASSOCIATIONS
AbstractAs consumers increasingly look to the web for entertainment and socializing, gaming companies have been anxiously seeking new ways to incorporate the web into their platforms—and avoid losing young consumers to the social media, online music, video, and games available through the web. Previously, the major fixed console platforms all supported remote game play and downloads of basic games and video content via web connections, but the latest initiatives go much further. For example, Microsoft has announced plans to integrate Facebook and Twitter features into its Xbox Live network offering this fall, along with support for streaming HD video and online radio.
With a new emphasis on video, audio and web content in addition to gaming, consoles are clearly striving to become a home media hub—a multifunction device that bridges PCs and TVs and serves up a broad range of digital entertainment options to the living room, If console companies can truly position their products as multifunction digital content devices, they could dramatically grow market share and also develop newer revenue streams such as movie rentals and advertising. However, many devices are fighting for this spot (including home entertainment-focused PCs, advanced set-top boxes and even web-enabled TVs), and it’s an arena that Microsoft has already failed to dominate once, with PCs powered by Windows Media Center Edition.
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