Retail PC games sales decline 23 percent in 2009

[tyler811]

When the NPD includes all forms of sales then I will actually listen to them.

Even with a December sales performance that “broke all industry records,” U.S. videogame sales slipped 8 percent last year over the $21.4 billion generated in 2008. Aside from portable hardware sales which experienced a 6% increase in revenue, every other category experienced a decline, among which retail sales of PC games suffered the biggest drop with revenues of only $538 million in 2009 according to NPD.

This equates to a 23% decline versus the $701 million generated in 2008, which in turn was down 14% from a year earlier at $910.7 million -- and that 2007 total was a 6% drop from 2006 so you can see the trend here. However, those figures don't account for digital distribution or subscriptions.

So while the industry as a whole has grown by more than 250% at retail alone in the last decade, the decline on the computer front doesn't necessarily mean PC gaming is dead -- quite the contrary some argue it is by far the most prevalent gaming platform and that it's definitely evolving to a more online market. Unfortunately, despite being aware of this, NPD is still not tracking game sales through nontraditional channels.

http://www.techspot.com/news/37632-retail-pc-games-sales-decline-23-percent-in-2009.html

 

[mindcycle]

When the NPD includes all forms of sales then I will actually listen to them.

Yes. It's no real surprise that retail sales are down. Not accounting for digital downloads in today's market makes their data pretty irrelevant IMHO.

 

[Scouzer]

Yes. It's no real surprise that retail sales are down. Not accounting for digital downloads in today's market makes their data pretty irrelevant IMHO.

No kidding, I've love to see the millions of sales unaccounted for simply from Steam's Christmas Sale!!!

 

[dguy6789]

Every single PC game I've bought in the last year has been through digital means. Most stores around here that sell games don't sell PC games at all.

 

[tyler811]

No kidding, I've love to see the millions of sales unaccounted for simply from Steam's Christmas Sale!!!

I think half of those were mine

 

[Throckmorton]

They seriously don't include downloads? I haven't bought a physical disc for 2 years probably

 

[BlueWeasel]

I think half of those were mine

So true.

 

[Scouzer]

They seriously don't include downloads? I haven't bought a physical disc for 2 years probably

I think part of the problem is that Steam/Valve refuses to release sales data.

 

[heat901]

I think part of the problem is that Steam/Valve refuses to release sales data.

They must be making a gagillion dollars.....

 

[Mike Gayner]

Completely useless statistic is completely useless.

 

[tommo123]

i started to go down the steam route, then found they sell shit that doesn't work properly and tell you to moan to the makers of the game and won't give refunds (dark sector).

that's the last game i'll buy on steam

 

[coloumb]

i started to go down the steam route, then found they sell shit that doesn't work properly and tell you to moan to the makers of the game and won't give refunds (dark sector).

that's the last game i'll buy on steam

Psst...hey buddy... over here... "try before you buy" [and that's all I'm gonna say about that.]

 

[Modular]

LoL. How can you not account for digital sales? I guarantee that with that information entered in, there was an increase in game sales in 2009. Most forms of entertainment are more widely used in economically trying times.

 

[HeXen]

i hate steam. I order the retail copies of the ones worth paying for, which sadly is few. the others i torrent cause i rarely play them. Like NFS Shift, i played a whopping 15 min. and havnt touched it since, i may play a little eventually but glad i didnt pay for it, most are ported DRM infested bugs that uses no more tech features beyond a NV 7800 series gpu yet suck up more 10x's more resources than the console's counterpart.

i have a quad core/gtx 295/4 gigs ram, yet hardly any game uses 10% of its features yet 80% + of its resources. Rubbish is all i can say about todays PC games. So i got me a PS3 and happy happy aside from crappy graphics.

 

[zagood]

Completely useless statistic is completely useless.

only like, 60% of the time.

 

[shortylickens]

Completely useless statistic is completely useless.

Everyone knows this.
It cannot be denied.

 

[Acanthus]

Not only have digital sales exploded... but WoW stopped growing.

 

[Karsten]

Everyone knows this.
It cannot be denied.

They should at least have a disclaimer in the news article. But so much for correct reporting!

 

[Xcobra]

Yes. It's no real surprise that retail sales are down. Not accounting for digital downloads in today's market makes their data pretty irrelevant IMHO.

exactly my thought when i read the thread title.

 

[Skott]

We are in a Great Recession so I imagine that has something to do with fewer games being sold.

 

[lupi]

Doesn't track digital sales (although I help there by not buying digital) or mmo subscriptions, so total dollar value into the entire pc realm is much higher. Not surprised that POS results keep going down though given how unfriendly publishers have become for buyers and how this has in turn seen retail outlets reduce pc title space.

 

[Lonyo]

"It's our goal for that business to be as important as, and over time maybe more important than, our packaged goods business," he added, saying that he believes that 2010 will see digital releases garner 50% of the industry, up from 40% this year.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/12/ea-to-reduce-retail-releases-focus-on-digital.ars

'Nuff said?

 

[shortylickens]

Not only have digital sales exploded... but WoW stopped growing.

Is the world tired of it, or are they weening themselves off in preparation for Starcraft 2?

 

[tyler811]

Is the world tired of it, or are they weening themselves off in preparation for Starcraft 2?

I have a brother and niece hooked on WoW. Every freaking time I call him he cannot talk because he is playing that game. I brought him a copy of Torchlight through Steam a month and he still has not redeemed it.

 

[JTsyo]

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/12/ea-to-reduce-retail-releases-focus-on-digital.ars

'Nuff said?

well if that 40% is true, that put sales at $897million, up about 28% from '08.