001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007 Game traveller DS™ Hello Kitty®
GAMECUBE 03/05/02
XBOX 14/03/02
XBOX 360 02/12/05
WII 08/12/06 DS™Lite/DSi™/DSi™XL/3DS™ HK520 Game traveller DS™ Hello Kitty®
PS3 22/11/07
interactive games market has declined by 24 per cent since that year. We are therefore not yet at the end of this generation cycle in volume of console software purchased. Total UK unit software sales from the first six years of this cycle (since 2005) are 35 per cent higher than the same previous cycle period (2000 to 2005) as shown in the chart (see below right).
The Wii Fitand the Wii controller interfaces were responsible for the success of the Nintendo platform. PlayStation Move and Microsoft Kinect have certainly generated stimulation and hardware sales more than four years after the initial launches of their mother hardware and they may continue to do so for another year.
Historically, the PlayStation brand has defined the last two generations but due to Sony Corporation facing financial performance challenges from 2007, the retail price, supporting the significant investment in the Cell processor development and the future proof features, the PS3 could not be competitive from the outset. Not until the summer of 2009 could PS3 grow its appeal to its loyal consumers who remained patient, at least on mainland Europe. One could say that the full impact of this current generation in Europe did not start until that moment.
Gamers these days have other activities to indulge in rather than wait around for the next best console thing. Online games are taking over gaming time; the core market of 10 to 19 years have Facebook and
www.mcvuk.com
mobile phones, platforms which did not exist 10 or even five years ago. GameVision, the industry standard in consumer intelligence, points out a declining share of the market for under 19-year-old console gamers in Europe in the last year.
Allied to this is the vast improvement in the PC gaming experience, from MMOs to browser titles, which are keeping the core gamers content, gamers who would previously have relied on the console to provide the same hit.
An unknown future is a reason for all of us not to try to push the manufacturers into responding too quickly with new technology, as this may be too advanced for consumers not ready to adopt the new world technologies. Conversely, the console manufacturers are wary of releasing technology which could become redundant quickly if challenged from either a new entrant, or from consumer changes in video gaming preferences.
So for some console manufacturers, there is still some way to go in this cycle and gamers are still
experimenting with the entertainment in their lives surrounding gaming. Core gamers can enjoy similar experiences from online PC gaming and are prepared to experiment in the new world rather than moan about the lack of new consoles.
Nick Parker is the founding partner of Parker Consulting Ltd, advisors in strategic planning, business intelligence and research for the games industry. Contact
nick@parkerconsulting.biz
June 3rd 2011 59 PS3™ Bluetooth® PS3™ Sport Pack *
PS3™ Bluetooth®
Headset *
Headset LX *
Bigben Interactive is at E3. Stop by to discover what’s New.
Stand #8601 Concourse Hall.
Please contact Paul Millar on 07787 283-951 or email
paul.millar@
bigben.fr
www.bigben-interactive.co.uk
PS3™ is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. - Nintendo DS™Lite/DSi™/DSi™XL/3DS™ are a registered trademarks of Nintendo Co. Ltd. - * These products are not licensed, authorized or endorsed by Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
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