While GameStop claims that it isn’t really worried about the rise of digital distribution cutting into it’s brick and mortal retail stores revenues’, a new survey from the TNS and gamesindustry.com titled The UK National Gamers Survey, could have retailers rethinking.
Traditionally, PC and console games were produced to a disk (or cartridge), packed in a fancy box, and sent off to retailers for sale to the general public. One can still find this method alive today, but perhaps not doing so well. A wide variety of factors all contribute to the decline of boxed sales, perhaps most notably the rise of both mobile and web portal based gaming; a scenario where there’s no wait involved. The UK National Gamers Survey 2009, as well as identical surveys conducted in the US and EU markets clearly indicate that digital distribution has arrived, and is a favorite amongst both PC and console gamers.
The survey found that 25 percent of all UK console gamers have paid for and downloaded not only complete titles, but also additional levels for their favorite games. The former being a purchase, the later being a microtransaction. 7 percent of all gamers surveyed indicated that when they’re after a new game, they usually purchase them directly via a digital distribution channel, circumventing a physical retailer altogether. On the PC side of gaming this figure is doubled, with 14 percent of all PC gamers regularly buying and downloading their pixel pleasure directly. In the US market these figures rise even more, with 16 percent of console players purchasing directly, and 23 percent of PC users accustomed to the digital distribution method.
The survey also indicates that over half (55 percent) of the UK population (as defined by 8 years of age or older and access to an internet connection) play on consoles. 27 percent of this demographic indicated that they regularly download either complete games or additional levels for their existing games. Almost all respondents indicated that they have experience paying for this. When broken down by console, Sony’s PlayStation 3 takes the lead with over half, again 55 percent, of owners regularly obtain content via digital distribution, 51 percent of Xbox 360 users, and 25 percent of Nintendo Wii owners are downloading.
“With the growing part of games being played and paid for online, a key way to monitor the complete games business is by asking consumers directly about their overall game behavior and spending. An additional advantage of this approach is insight across all platforms as the traditional divide between the online casual and core console market has evaporated,” adds Peter Warman from gamesindustry.com.
Tags: digital distribution, GamesIndustry, GameStop, microtransaction, Peter Warman, PlayStation, survey, Wii, Xbox
