The gaming industry has undergone a rather radical change in recent years. Mobile gaming and social gaming has gained major portion of the market whereas the sales of regular consoles and standard video game discs have declined. In 2012 alone, the sales of video game discs and consoles fell by 22%.
The decline is quite understandable, given the fact that mobile games such as Angry Birds have sharply risen to unprecedented fame and success. Users are increasingly getting fond of playing games on smartphones and tablets which is constricting the market space for regular game consoles.
As far as the video game discs are concerned, they are too old-fashioned. Users rely on digital downloads and digital purchases to lay their hands on the latest game releases. Very few want to go for regular discs any more.
In face of this, it is no wonder that the overall video game disc and console sales have dropped by 22% during 2012, reaching $13.26 billion, according to NPD group. The likes of Nintendo, Sony and others have suffered in terms of console sales. Nintendo’s recently released Wii U has sold in hundreds of thousands, but it isn’t doing as good as its predecessor. Microsoft’s Xbox, however, held its ground and kept its position of being the top-selling console.
It is no surprise that Xbox was able to retain its crown. Microsoft has invested heavily in its Xbox platform, making it a lot more than a mere gaming console. Rather, the company has positioned Xbox as an entire entertainment platform which has helped it sustain the sales over the years despite an overall trend of industry-wide decline.
Courtesy: LA Times
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