Game industry Stats

[CptStern]

interesting article on the bbc about what the industry needs to do if it wants to grow by leaps and bounds. Some stats:

* "According to ESA, 75% of American heads of households (that's me!!) play computer and video games, with the average age of a player being 30. " (take that! you yung'uns always making fun of ol-timer stern for playing games!)"


* the worldwide film industry stands at about $45 billion and the worldwide video game industry checks in at around $28 billion," (gaming is not bigger than hollywood)


* games rated "mature" made up just 16% of all the games sold last year. The majority, 53%, were suitable for all ages, and 30% were for teens. (only 16% hmmm if you listen to the christian crazies ALL video games are unsuitable for children)



source

 

[kirovman]

The gaming customer market is getting older, as gamers age. It'll be pretty mainstream in a couple of decades. Thing is most of the people getting into gaming to start with are kids, and they tend stick with games as the grow up.

 

[Razor]

* the worldwide film industry stands at about $45 billion and the worldwide video game industry checks in at around $28 billion," (gaming is not bigger than hollywood)

Hollywood is only the third biggest film industry in the world, so gaming might be bigger then Hollywood. The second biggest being Bollywood and the first biggest being the pornographic film industry.

edit: As for your argument, you are correct because the very fanatical religious/parenting groups and the media only focus on the violent games, ignoring the games that are teen based or suitable for all ages.

 

[boglito]

What! Only 16% games are rated M? That sucks! Let's all load up on rocketlaunchers and railguns and blast those dumb teeniegameproducers to kingdom come!

.bog. - viva la revolution -

 

[CptStern]

The gaming customer market is getting older, as gamers age. It'll be pretty mainstream in a couple of decades. Thing is most of the people getting into gaming to start with are kids, and they tend stick with games as the grow up.

ya it's just that if this place is any indication most gamers are under 20. Which isnt the case in my experience ..in fact this is the youngest community I've ever participated in ...by at least a decade. A clan I was in awhile back had an average age of 35 ..the oldest member was 63

 

[CptStern]

Hollywood is only the third biggest film industry in the world, so gaming might be bigger then Hollywood. The second biggest being Bollywood and the first biggest being the pornographic film industry.
.

that's really hard to judge cuz do you include dvd sales and rentals? what about merchandizing?

 

[Gray Fox]

most people who play games like hl2 are under 20, the bbc is counting all the gamers, and all the games, also the internet flash games. Thats why middleaged women are the single largest group of online players. But most aaa games on pc and console are played by people are below 20.

Oh yeah and hollywood also counts the movie porn industry, most of it is based in hollywood.

 

[kirovman]

most people who play games like hl2 are under 20, the bbc is counting all the gamers, and all the games, also the internet flash games. Thats why middleaged women are the single largest group of online players. But most aaa games on pc and console are played by people are below 20.

Oh yeah and hollywood also counts the movie porn industry, most of it is based in hollywood.

Yeah, personally if I was compiling gamer stats, I wouldn't include people who play online solitare in the stats of online gamers. That's just me, though.

 

[CptStern]

most people who play games like hl2 are under 20, the bbc is counting all the gamers, and all the games, also the internet flash games. Thats why middleaged women are the single largest group of online players. But most aaa games on pc and console are played by people are below 20.

Oh yeah and hollywood also counts the movie porn industry, most of it is based in hollywood.

not so sure:

"For Computer Gamers...

Thirty-five percent of most frequent game players are under eighteen years old.
Twenty-six percent of most frequent game players are between 18 and 35 years old.
Thirty-nine percent of most frequent game players are over 35 years old.
For Console Gamers...

Forty-six percent of most frequent game players are under eighteen years old.
Thirty-five percent of most frequent game players are between 18 and 35 years old.
Twenty percent of most frequent game players are over 35 years old. "


65% of pc gamers are older than 18 years of age (not sure how that breaks down in terms of the games they're playing)

44% of console gamers are over 18



source

 

[Razor]

that's really hard to judge cuz do you include dvd sales and rentals? what about merchandizing?

Merchandising, no, but dvd sales and video sales, yes.

 

[CptStern]

I think there's little to no consensus as to which industry is bigger ...if you look at pure box office receipts ..gaming makes more $ ..which is it's fairest comparison because the gaming industry doesnt rely that much on repackaged goods ...in hollywood a movie can have 3 or 4 different incarnations where they can make money: theater release, dvd release, the rights to air on network tv/cable/pay per view ...whereas games usually sell in one format ....of course mulitple formats across all platforms helps close the gap but it's still hasnt reached the market penetration that movies have

 

[kirovman]

Hmm... just think about how much of the gaming industry revenue is from movie licensing games though. Or games like the Sims :x

Games like Half-Life 2 (ok, it is a top seller, but for lack of a better example at the minute) aren't recieving all the credit they deserve when you compare it to some bad Star Wars or Matrix incarnation.

 

[CptStern]

is there a "good" stars wars or matrix incarnation?


ok kotor, but that doesnt count ...dont know why, but it doesnt