Digital Games Spend Wins Out Against Packaged Product: $23 Billion and Climbing

Online, October 25, 2013 (Newswire.com) - We see 2013 be a landmark year for digital gaming, with the launch of Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One, together with the growing role of non-dedicated gaming platforms, as the boom in smartphone and tablet adoption continues.

"Total spend on digital games software and apps exceeded that of packaged gaming for the first time in 2012, with digital games achieving $22.8 billion in sales worldwide," says David Sidebottom, Senior Market Analyst at Futuresource. "However, this market is highly fragmented and its structure varies significantly by region - almost 40% is attributable to online PC gaming outside of the USA and Europe, with the majority in China and South Korea. Part of this drive for digital gaming - the global consumer spend on mobile games (on mobile phones/ smartphones and tablets) - reached almost $6.5 billion in 2012 and is anticipated to almost double by 2017".

Against this backdrop Futuresource Consulting is hosting a free webinar on Wednesday 30 October that will explore the video games landscape. Key areas will include how the market is going to develop over the next five years, the potential for emerging and disruptive technologies, how mobile gaming will impact on console gaming and the future for multimedia services. The webinar will be hosted by David Sidebottom and his colleague, Sam Leech. Further detail is available on the Futuresource website.

"Traditional gaming platforms are set to further embrace digitally distributed content, with Xbox One and PlayStation 4 providing a renewed emphasis on online gaming. The hotly-anticipated launches will see the total market return to strength, with the overall global physical and digital games software sector on track for nearly 9% growth, reaching approximately $50 billion in 2014. The total market will continue to steadily grow to reach unprecedented heights through to 2016."

On the Move
"Gaming on mobile devices has emerged as a key area of opportunity, attracting new players and allowing gaming to be enjoyed at more convenient times while consumers are on the move. In addition, for many consumers in emerging markets, smartphones will be their first gaming device.

Futuresource predicts that consumer spend from mobile gaming will reach $8 billion in 2013, a 23% growth on 2012 and is expected to rise to $12.8 billion by 2017, almost double the 2012 level, with the sector continuing to be driven by the uptake of smartphones and tablets, additionally improved quality through greater developer investment. Further details will be in our forthcoming games webinar.

"To maximise revenues, the digital gaming sector is seeing a great deal of experimentation with new business models, made possible by digitally distributed content and 'always connected' platforms and devices."

New Space
"We're now seeing several new gaming platforms emerge into the sector, for both casual and hardcore gamers. The new emerging platforms include, Smart TVs, digital media adaptors and microconsoles. We also envisage companies such as Google, Apple, Samsung and Amazon becoming increasingly involved in gaming this way, providing further competition to existing TV-based gaming platforms."

The Move to Digital Gaming is captured in a 47 page report, available now. For more information about this report or to make a purchase either visit www.futuresource-consulting.com or get in touch with Andy Watson via andy.watson@futuresource-hq.com.

Notes
Futuresource Consulting is a specialist research and knowledge-based consulting company, providing organisations with insight into consumer electronics, digital imaging, entertainment media, broadcast, storage media, education technology and IT. With a heritage stretching back to the 1980s, the company delivers in-depth analysis and forecasts on a global scale, advising on strategic positioning, market trends, competitive forces and technological developments. www.futuresource-consulting.com.

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