PC Retail sales down 50% yet Digital Distribution only at 6%

http://kotaku.com/5157649/npd-says-pc-retail-sales-down-50

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/digital-distribution-accounts-for-just-6-of-game-sales-ndash-magid-/?biz=1

Yet notice in the first article, NPD say digital distribution is at 50%!?? Which is it?

NPD doesn't track all the non-retail PC sources. So it fails to produce a realistic number for the PC market.foxhound_fox

and a lot of pc games are being pawned off to the broken steam *took them 2 years to fix freinds list lawl and it worked better befor they updated it too!*Poster_11

Ermm...have anyone, especially TC took the time to read the linked articles?
In first one they say PC retail sales dropped 50% in last 7 years, but at the same time that "PC gaming market is "at least twice what retail shows"
Which means for PCgaming online revenues (DD and fees) are over 50% OF THE MARKET

and in second article shows digital distribution is 6%...on CONSOLES!!! THe whole article is about console gamers purchase preferences, not PCgamers
Adrian-Werner

NPD tracks PC game subscriptions.

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22415

So I think what they mean, perhaps, is that PC game sales are down at retail stores. However, when you look at PC game subscriptions, you can see that PC gaming is higher than what retail would suggest.

http://kotaku.com/5157649/npd-says-pc-retail-sales-down-50

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/digital-distribution-accounts-for-just-6-of-game-sales-ndash-magid-/?biz=1

Yet notice in the first article, NPD say digital distribution is at 50%!?? Which is it?

speedsix

Ermm...have anyone, especially TC took the time to read the linked articles?
In first one they say PC retail sales dropped 50% in last 7 years, but at the same time that "PC gaming market is "at least twice what retail shows"
Which means for PCgaming online revenues (DD and fees) are over 50% OF THE MARKET

and in second article shows digital distribution is 6%...on CONSOLES!!! THe whole article is about console gamers purchase preferences, not PCgamers
Adrian-Werner

Where does it say console only?

Where does it say console only?

speedsix

right here in big red letters:

http://www.aolcdn.com/ch_gamedaily/magidchart1dec18.jpg

and here:

"And only six percent have bought a console game online and downloaded it online."

did you even read the second article?

[QUOTE="Adrian-Werner"]Ermm...have anyone, especially TC took the time to read the linked articles?
In first one they say PC retail sales dropped 50% in last 7 years, but at the same time that "PC gaming market is "at least twice what retail shows"
Which means for PCgaming online revenues (DD and fees) are over 50% OF THE MARKET

and in second article shows digital distribution is 6%...on CONSOLES!!! THe whole article is about console gamers purchase preferences, not PCgamers
speedsix

Where does it say console only?

It's no wonder steam is so popular, no tax. slickchris7777

Same for amazon.com (no tax and free shipping!) and just about anything bought online, I think, except for those poor, unfortunate souls that live in places like New York.

Sorry I posted the wrong article, the one I intended to post initially was this one which doesn't specify PC or console, just 'gamers'

http://www.edge-online.com/news/npds-frazier-consumers-prefer-retail

What I'm getting at, is some sources say DD is big, others say it's almost non-existent.

Sorry I posted the wrong article, the one I intended to post initially was this one which doesn't specify PC or console, just 'gamers'

http://www.edge-online.com/news/npds-frazier-consumers-prefer-retail

What I'm getting at, is some sources say DD is big, others say it's almost non-existent.

http://kotaku.com/5157649/npd-says-pc-retail-sales-down-50

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/digital-distribution-accounts-for-just-6-of-game-sales-ndash-magid-/?biz=1

Yet notice in the first article, NPD say digital distribution is at 50%!?? Which is it?

speedsix

Sorry I posted the wrong article, the one I intended to post initially was this one which doesn't specify PC or console, just 'gamers'

http://www.edge-online.com/news/npds-frazier-consumers-prefer-retail

What I'm getting at, is some sources say DD is big, others say it's almost non-existent.

speedsix

That is a little misleading. I mean the PC Gaming Alliance has said that DD accounted for up to 50% of sales revenue for the PC in 2007. This transition has been occuring at a lot faster rates over the years. Some DD sites like one in the UK had sales up by 147%. But I'm not surprised that sales are going down. We're in a freaking recession after all. I wouldn't be surprised if individual console game sales go down soon too. These types of commodities are the first to suffer in economic turmoil.Vandalvideo

http://kotaku.com/5157649/npd-says-pc-retail-sales-down-50

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/digital-distribution-accounts-for-just-6-of-game-sales-ndash-magid-/?biz=1

Yet notice in the first article, NPD say digital distribution is at 50%!?? Which is it?

speedsix

Thats because out of the 30 million people who buy pc games....half of them stopped because of the recession, and out of the 20 people who buy digital Copies...2 of them stopped buying

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]That is a little misleading. I mean the PC Gaming Alliance has said that DD accounted for up to 50% of sales revenue for the PC in 2007. This transition has been occuring at a lot faster rates over the years. Some DD sites like one in the UK had sales up by 147%. But I'm not surprised that sales are going down. We're in a freaking recession after all. I wouldn't be surprised if individual console game sales go down soon too. These types of commodities are the first to suffer in economic turmoil.thesmiter

What's even funnier is when you realize who makes up that alliance. Hint: lots of companies that have a financial stake in promoting PC gaming.

What's even funnier is when you realize who makes up that alliance. Hint: lots of companies that have a financial stake in promoting PC gaming.lolfaqs

Sounds more like a catalog of manufacturers featured on newegg than a reputable, unbiased source of information on PC gaminglolfaqs

[QUOTE="thesmiter"][QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]That is a little misleading. I mean the PC Gaming Alliance has said that DD accounted for up to 50% of sales revenue for the PC in 2007. This transition has been occuring at a lot faster rates over the years. Some DD sites like one in the UK had sales up by 147%. But I'm not surprised that sales are going down. We're in a freaking recession after all. I wouldn't be surprised if individual console game sales go down soon too. These types of commodities are the first to suffer in economic turmoil.lolfaqs

What's even funnier is when you realize who makes up that alliance. Hint: lots of companies that have a financial stake in promoting PC gaming.

[QUOTE="lolfaqs"]

[QUOTE="thesmiter"] LOL. PC Gaming Alliance. Its funny that there is an 'alliance' of pc gamers. Really? lulz....Locke562

What's even funnier is when you realize who makes up that alliance. Hint: lots of companies that have a financial stake in promoting PC gaming.

Being backed by the industry is not the same as having corporate officers sitting in as board members.

PCGA's board members:

http://www.pcgamingalliance.org/ABOUT/BoardandOfficers/tabid/374/Default.aspx

Compare that to NPD's board members:

http://www.npd.com/corpServlet?nextpage=management_s.html

Sounds more like a catalog of manufacturers featured on newegg than a reputable, unbiased source of information on PC gaming.lolfaqs

Being backed by the industry is not the same as having corporate officers sitting in as board members.

PCGA's board members:

http://www.pcgamingalliance.org/ABOUT/BoardandOfficers/tabid/374/Default.aspx

Compare that to NPD's board members:

http://www.npd.com/corpServlet?nextpage=management_s.html

lolfaqs

[QUOTE="lolfaqs"]Sounds more like a catalog of manufacturers featured on newegg than a reputable, unbiased source of information on PC gaming.foxhound_fox

They both share a common interest in promoting PC gaming over console gaming. The more people that buy PC products, the more likely it is that they will buy products from Intel, AMD, nVidia, etc.

They both share a common interest in promoting PC gaming over console gaming. The more people that buy PC products, the more likely it is that they will buy products from Intel, AMD, nVidia, etc.lolfaqs

They both share a common interest in promoting PC gaming over console gaming. The more people that buy PC products, the more likely it is that they will buy products from Intel, AMD, nVidia, etc.lolfaqs

[QUOTE="lolfaqs"]They both share a common interest in promoting PC gaming over console gaming. The more people that buy PC products, the more likely it is that they will buy products from Intel, AMD, nVidia, etc.foxhound_fox

And how much do you think the Wii, PS3, and the 360 make up of their products compared to PCs? Hell, all you have to do is look at their mission statement on their website. They flat out tell you that they are promoting PC gaming.

PC Gaming Alliance will also provide guidelines to simplify hardware specifications and speed the introduction of new technologies, as well as improve Consumer PC Gaming Experience by working with developers and publishers and PCGA members to maximize the PC gaming experience in all ways possible.

And how much do you think the Wii, PS3, and the 360 make up of their products compared to PCs? Hell, all you have to do is look at their mission statement on their website. They flat out tell you that they are promoting PC gaming.lolfaqs

[QUOTE="lolfaqs"]List of Members omitted for space reasons Sounds more like a catalog of manufacturers featured on newegg than a reputable, unbiased source of information on PC gaming. agentfred

Take Microsoft as an example. How much do you think they make from Xbox compared to how much they make from Windows? Although it's true that Microsoft benefits from Xbox sales, anyone who knows anything about Microsoft knows that the lion's share of their revenue come from Windows. If people aren't buying computers as much as before, Windows isn't generating money like it used to.

This isn't a neutral and detached third party market research firm interested in just conducting objective analysis of the industry. This is an organization whose sole purpose for existing is to promote PC gaming:

These are taken directly from PCGA's FAQ on their web site:

What is the PCGA?

If you look at Microsoft's latest report filed with the SEC (the current report dated 1/22/09):

www.microsoft.com/msft/aspx/secfilings.aspx

Out of a total revenue of $16,629,000,000 for 2008, you know how much came from Xbox? Well, their entire Entertainment and Devices Division generated $3,183,000,000 in 2008. That division includes the following:

www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/rbach/default.aspx

The E&D Division is composed of five main businesses: the Interactive Entertainment Business, home to the Xbox and Games for Windows gaming platforms; the Mobile Communications Business, which develops and markets Windows Mobile software, services and applications; the Music Business, developers of Zune portable entertainment devices and services; the Connected TV Business, which includes Microsoft Mediaroom and Windows Media Center; and the Specialized Devices and Applications Business, which includes the Hardware Group, Microsoft Surface, Office for Mac, Microsoft Auto and Windows Embedded software.

So, of that $16.6 billion, only $3.1 billion comes from the Entertainment and Devices Division ("EDD"). And EDD encompasses Xbox, Games for Windows, Mobile Communications, Zune, MSN, Windows Media Center, and more. So only a tiny fraction of it is attributed to Xbox.

This isn't a neutral and detached third party market research firm interested in just conducting objective analysis of the industry. This is an organization whose sole purpose for existing is to promote PC gaming:

lolfaqs

This is true. However, you then make the assumption that because they were formed with the intention of promoting PC gaming, that they must be falsifying data for personal gain. Strangely, you have thus far failed to provide any evidence in support of this wild claim. The onus is on you, and unfortunately for you, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. What, didn't they teach you that in law school?

[QUOTE="lolfaqs"]

This isn't a neutral and detached third party market research firm interested in just conducting objective analysis of the industry. This is an organization whose sole purpose for existing is to promote PC gaming:

agentfred

This is true. However, you then make the assumption that because they were formed with the intention of promoting PC gaming, that they must be falsifying data for personal gain. Strangely, you have thus far failed to provide any evidence in support of this wild claim. The onus is on you, and unfortunately for you, extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. What, didn't they teach you that in law school?

No, I make the assumption that they're less trustworthy than a source such as NPD.

No, I make the assumption that they're less trustworthy than a source such as NPD.lolfaqs

No, I make the assumption that they're less trustworthy than a source such as NPD.

lolfaqs

Basically you have two reports that seem to contradict each other. One is from NPD. The other is from PCGA. After weighing the credibility of both, I will trust NPD's report over PCGA's hands down.lolfaqs

[QUOTE="lolfaqs"]Basically you have two reports that seem to contradict each other. One is from NPD. The other is from PCGA. After weighing the credibility of both, I will trust NPD's report over PCGA's hands down.Vandalvideo

It is the most played platform but only because of casual stuff like flash and popcap games.

Speaking of popcap games

U.S. Retail Sales of PopCap's PC Games Jumped 85% in 2008

http://news.prnewswire.com/DisplayReleaseContent.aspx?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/01-28-2009/0004961888&EDATE=

So my guess is that while pc gaming has been growing it is mostly due to an increase in casual sales. If steam sales were great then I think valve would be more open about sharing them.