U.S. Gamer Population Is Declining
- Thread starter JoshV
- Start date
Translation: Everyone freaked the fuck out about Farmville and Angry Birds about the time they stopped caring about the Wii. Eventually people got sick of it, and realized that Zynga sucks, and so do a lot of similar developers. Mobile devices are so huge that they have evened out to go along with better technology and more thoughtful developers, and along the way, we picked up a couple of "Core" gamers.
When i saw the link i was expecting a kinda misleading title to an article including poorly described statistics...
and you served just fine! Nothing more, nothing less, just the cheapest way of "journalism" there is. Another meaningless article generating clicks, congratulations, though, this is not the reason i visit the escapist, but the reason i already started to visit less and less.
Also, as i read about the methods from NPD and considering it is a commercialy focused research group, i would question the actual quality of the study (probably not for the businsses buying the up close data, but for the game-community as a whole), though i would have to see the forms they used to be sure about that. That the use of games is shifting is clear since several years, the more important question is, how specific businsses will react.
As long as there are still some quality games made now and then, i'm happy, more or less.
Also, what's with the picture? Am i not getting it, or is it just as poor of a choice as the whole article is?
and you served just fine! Nothing more, nothing less, just the cheapest way of "journalism" there is. Another meaningless article generating clicks, congratulations, though, this is not the reason i visit the escapist, but the reason i already started to visit less and less.
Also, as i read about the methods from NPD and considering it is a commercialy focused research group, i would question the actual quality of the study (probably not for the businsses buying the up close data, but for the game-community as a whole), though i would have to see the forms they used to be sure about that. That the use of games is shifting is clear since several years, the more important question is, how specific businsses will react.
As long as there are still some quality games made now and then, i'm happy, more or less.
Also, what's with the picture? Am i not getting it, or is it just as poor of a choice as the whole article is?
Exactly. NPD is a commercial venture so they're not just going to give away their data and analysis, they're going to publish some numbers to get speculation going, and anyone who wants to full package (ie, all the numbers with all the science) is going to have to pony up the cash for it.Nalgas D. Lemur said:
Ehn... yeah but while the sample size is good I'm not sure that the whole 'members of NPD?s online panel' thing makes for the sample being random enough. Or maybe it does, it would depend on what the online panel is.albino boo said:
Quick someone set up a fund to help the economic stricken gamer. Without your support these peoples will have to step out into sunlight and risk getting cancer. Please donate generously so we can get them consoles, computers and games to play.
Save the gamers.
Gamers are fine. The numbers will bounce back.
Save the gamers.
Gamers are fine. The numbers will bounce back.
I agree completely. Maybe the population is on the decline because quite a few developers are gearing up for the next generation and we are stuck in a drought. Or perhaps its the fact that once good franchises have been run into the ground and so many games look like grey sludge. Or maybe its all of those things. All I know is that the whole selling games as services will keep the decline going.OuroborosChoked said:Maybe there are fewer gamers because there are fewer GAMES being released.
Seriously, what's with this drought? PS3 has no games coming out, PS Vita has no games coming out, 360 has no games coming out, Wii has no games coming out, 3DS has no games coming out (that I care about, anyway).
The only game I care about at this point is Dishonored... and that's still a month away...
I seem to want less games every year because they are so stuffed with crap services that it starts to hinder my ability to enjoy games.
captcha: i'm blushing
Thanks captcha but I'm not sure why.lol.
It also doesn't take into account those of us who have spent the year either playing all the games they got for Winter Solstice last December, or replaying old favorites. Which is what I've been doing.Legion said:
First thought after reading the title is that a number of developer studios in Canada have recently been shut down. The industry doesn't seem to be doing much to improve its sales from the looks of things...
Ehh, I don't agree with the article's take on the subject, but I do agree with the title of the thread.
Reasons I believe the US gamer population is declining and thoughts about the article:
1. The economy is, and has been, in the tank. People have less money and are naturally less willing to spend it. This means that people save for a game they actually want rather than buying something that "might" be fun.
2. Game companies are charging for every little thing. DLC, passes, add-ons, to name a few. For example, I didn't buy MW3 for reasons related ( although not exclusive) to number one on my list. But my friends who did buy the game have been begging me to buy it now that the price has lowered ( not enough in my opinion). Thing is, if I bought the game now, it is reasonable to expect that I would also need to buy all the DLC that has come out for it. That takes the price from 35$ back to over 60$.
3. The article implies that people are switching to mobile device games and other similar "casual" styles. I don't believe they are switching. The most likely explanation is that people are bored, download a game to their phone, and play it until they aren't bored. After which, they forget they have the game. The game is still counted as active even if it's only been used for a few minutes. Additionally, people are downloading a majority of these games because they are FREE! Which makes a huge difference in how quickly a media style spreads. I would have never played Angry Birds, Fruit Slice, or Words with Friends if they weren't free.
4. Family games are in decline because people have started to realize that motion control is a gimmick.
5. Popularity. The US government, FDA, school system, and others have all been pushing for healthier lifestyles due to America's problem with obesity. Sitting in front of a screen for hours on end does nothing but add to the obesity problem. As a result, gaming and television have, and will, continue to see declines in their populations, as more Americans get off their ass and go outside for physical activity.
6. Finally, the article is a study of this year, which is not over and thus scews the results. Summer, spring, and the latter half of last years winter ( which was virtually nonexistant) have passed. Those seasons are the most popular times for outdoor activity and group activities, which naturally leads even more people away from the game screen. This fall and first half of winter should see increases across the board as people go back indoors and stay home more often. It will also see an increase due to high profile game releases, the holidays, and Christmas bonuses.
I predict that over the next several years we will continue to see declines in gaming, with small resurgances in the fall and winter. Ultimately though, I do believe that in five years or so, the gaming industry will be complaining about record lows year after year, while looking at increases in mobile games and wondering how they are being outpaced by the free 5 minute games that seem so popular.
Reasons I believe the US gamer population is declining and thoughts about the article:
1. The economy is, and has been, in the tank. People have less money and are naturally less willing to spend it. This means that people save for a game they actually want rather than buying something that "might" be fun.
2. Game companies are charging for every little thing. DLC, passes, add-ons, to name a few. For example, I didn't buy MW3 for reasons related ( although not exclusive) to number one on my list. But my friends who did buy the game have been begging me to buy it now that the price has lowered ( not enough in my opinion). Thing is, if I bought the game now, it is reasonable to expect that I would also need to buy all the DLC that has come out for it. That takes the price from 35$ back to over 60$.
3. The article implies that people are switching to mobile device games and other similar "casual" styles. I don't believe they are switching. The most likely explanation is that people are bored, download a game to their phone, and play it until they aren't bored. After which, they forget they have the game. The game is still counted as active even if it's only been used for a few minutes. Additionally, people are downloading a majority of these games because they are FREE! Which makes a huge difference in how quickly a media style spreads. I would have never played Angry Birds, Fruit Slice, or Words with Friends if they weren't free.
4. Family games are in decline because people have started to realize that motion control is a gimmick.
5. Popularity. The US government, FDA, school system, and others have all been pushing for healthier lifestyles due to America's problem with obesity. Sitting in front of a screen for hours on end does nothing but add to the obesity problem. As a result, gaming and television have, and will, continue to see declines in their populations, as more Americans get off their ass and go outside for physical activity.
6. Finally, the article is a study of this year, which is not over and thus scews the results. Summer, spring, and the latter half of last years winter ( which was virtually nonexistant) have passed. Those seasons are the most popular times for outdoor activity and group activities, which naturally leads even more people away from the game screen. This fall and first half of winter should see increases across the board as people go back indoors and stay home more often. It will also see an increase due to high profile game releases, the holidays, and Christmas bonuses.
I predict that over the next several years we will continue to see declines in gaming, with small resurgances in the fall and winter. Ultimately though, I do believe that in five years or so, the gaming industry will be complaining about record lows year after year, while looking at increases in mobile games and wondering how they are being outpaced by the free 5 minute games that seem so popular.
I don't think it's JUST online DRM and passes and DLC that are pushing customers towards the mobile market, though that doesn't help, but think of it like this. If you could take any beloved game no matter what it was with you anywhere you go, wouldn't you? Those that love RPGS could take ultima or skyrim or something and play it on the Ipad on the bus or even at home. For marathon sessions, just plug the device into any wall socket. Maybe one day they'll even have an open source tablet for game mods and stuff. Also there could be keyboard and mouse and console controller addons, at which point we won't have to be at home to game anymore. We could game on the bus, at the movies (with head phones on, plus movies might just move to tablets also), on the train, eventually on a plane (regulations and such), on long car trips, on short car trips, on long and short road trips, on vacation, basically anywhere you can go, your games will be with you, along with any control setup possible and even mods if an open source tablet does hit the market.
I think that would be pretty cool.
I think that would be pretty cool.
It may be unrelated, but I've noticed a decline in people I know playing video games.
All my childhood friends have stopped, and my little brother only ever plays TF2 anymore, albeit religiously.
All my childhood friends have stopped, and my little brother only ever plays TF2 anymore, albeit religiously.
WOAH, let's not use the whole internet's supply of logic in that one comment. There are people talking about religion, feminism and gay rights that desperately need it more than we do.Boudica said:
Captcha: Know your rights
IS THAT A THREAT?
nice try but there is no way that the gamer population is declining, its more likely that they are just playing games that they already own instead of buying more. The other reason i call bull on this is that in my extended family most of them play games with several getting in to them within the last year. Hell my mother bought herself a 64g ipad3 with 3g just so that she can play angry birds on a larger screen among other games and my grand mother say she is in the market for a tablet as well.
RhombusHatesYou said:
NPD are one of the biggest market research companies in the world and have been going for the best part of 40 years. Their methodology is pretty well established and constant.