July 17, 2009 at 13:36The crisis got to the developers
In a crisis, people have no time for toys.
Assumptions that the recession will only positively affect the entertainment industry (laid-off people will more stay at home, play games and watch movies) did not materialize. Quite the contrary. It is difficult to find an industry affected by the crisis as badly as computer games.
Statistics NPD Group shows the largest decline over the past nine years: in June, sales fell by 31% (!) Compared to last year. Sales of gaming hardware fell by 38%, programs - by 29%, accessories - by 22%. We see negative numbers for the fourth month in a row, and in June they reached a critical level. Something similar on the game market was only in September 2000 (minus 41%).
Analysts still hope that such a failure is not necessarily related to the crisis. Perhaps last year was an extraordinary success. Indeed, last spring Grand Theft Auto IV was released with record sales figures, as well as the Wii Fit fitness kit that became popular. Today there are no such hits on the market, even the most popular Prototype game in June, and cannot come close to last year's GTA IV.
Manufacturers are already changing plans in connection with the crisis. They believe that it makes no sense to release new games in such a difficult time. Take-Two, for example, has announced that it will postpone the release of Bioshock 2 to next year. Developers of other potential hits can do the same.
Assumptions that the recession will only positively affect the entertainment industry (laid-off people will more stay at home, play games and watch movies) did not materialize. Quite the contrary. It is difficult to find an industry affected by the crisis as badly as computer games.
Statistics NPD Group shows the largest decline over the past nine years: in June, sales fell by 31% (!) Compared to last year. Sales of gaming hardware fell by 38%, programs - by 29%, accessories - by 22%. We see negative numbers for the fourth month in a row, and in June they reached a critical level. Something similar on the game market was only in September 2000 (minus 41%).
Analysts still hope that such a failure is not necessarily related to the crisis. Perhaps last year was an extraordinary success. Indeed, last spring Grand Theft Auto IV was released with record sales figures, as well as the Wii Fit fitness kit that became popular. Today there are no such hits on the market, even the most popular Prototype game in June, and cannot come close to last year's GTA IV.
Manufacturers are already changing plans in connection with the crisis. They believe that it makes no sense to release new games in such a difficult time. Take-Two, for example, has announced that it will postpone the release of Bioshock 2 to next year. Developers of other potential hits can do the same.