PC Gaming - Overcoming The Recession!

Rasczak

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According to recent market reports, consumer spending has slowed in all markets, but less so in the gaming industry, and in particular less in the PC gaming segment.

Jon Peddie Research (JPR) today announced the market forecast for PC gaming hardware and the results are encouraging overall, even with the modest drop due to economic conditions.

The total PC Gaming Hardware market is forecasted to drop $1.4 billion (-7%) in 2009 versus 2008 (from $20.07 to $18.65 billion.). The decline is due to reduced sales because of the recession, and lower prices on PCs and components (also due to the recession and competitive pressures.) But, in such an environment, PC gaming systems seem to have suffered the least discounting which illustrates the value consumers place on such systems.

Furthermore, in 2009 the PC Gaming Hardware Market, approaching $19 billion, is forecasted to eclipse the hardware market for all gaming consoles combined by almost $2 billion. (Console costs include the console, a certain amount of accessories, and a factor for the cost of an HDTV to display the games on.)

PC gaming hardware covered by thr research includes the PC, a percentage for the monitor (because some people will already have one), a percentage of accessories like driving wheels and special mice/joysticks, as well as aftermarket and DIY parts and systems.)

The JPR PC Gaming System Hardware Market report is a unique analysis that does a bottom-up forecast of systems based on GPU and PC shipments, and a macro-economic top-down forecast based on the eco-demographics which covers 36 countries.

The report shows the expected shipments in three classes: Enthusiast, Performance, and Mainstream for both desktop and the newly emerging notebook category. It shows the distribution of branded sales (HP, Alienware, etc), non branded ("White box"), aftermarket component sales and DIY sales, as well as peripheral sales of gaming components.

So why in a recession?

The PC Gaming market is dropping a little in 2009 just like all other industries are forecasting, and yet less so - why? The conclusion the researcher at JPR have come to is that people are staying home more, less movies, less dinners out, postponed vacations, and turning to other forms of entertainment. PC Gaming is a very economical form of entertainment, a $50 game can provide hundreds of hours of play, and it's not uncommon for players to replay a game. Also, purchases of a PC for gaming can be shared since the machine can be used for watching (and creating) videos, as well as office work and web browsing, something consoles can't offer.

Source:
PC Gaming Daunted but Unbowed by Recession, According to JPR
 
The PC is not dead!!!! Yay :)
 
Good to hear as my local GAME has a tiny little area for pc gaming now and it is shrinking still :(
 
Good to hear as my local GAME has a tiny little area for pc gaming now and it is shrinking still

Hehe, the sales are for PC Hardware, everyone knows all PC Gamers do is pirate software!

TBH, the big thing has to be STEAM and other download areas. The average PC Gamer (IMO) is miles ahead of the average console gamers in terms being prepared to using newer technologies.

With most people now having broadband and most PC gamers being used to platforms like STEAM, the high street store has difficulty competing. Not too mention that online retailers are more likely to be used, even PC Gamers want the box versions.

In Germany though the PC holds the biggest area of gaming in the stores.

Thinking about my upgrade I just bought (pick up tomorrow!! :) ), I actually thought I am spending 550 euros, on what I consider to be a budget layout. I can't imagine ever bringing myself to spend 550 euros on a console alone. Strange how the brain works, PC Upgrade 550 is cheap, New Console 550 is too expensive!
 
I dont think the format is dead at all,but the highstreet retailer give less and less space to pc games.I can buy the 3 major console on the market with the money i spend on my pc,maybe the people realise who is not cheap and also not everyone found easy play with mouse and keybord.What you think is the average age of a pc gamer?
 
PC gaming is generally more hardcore than console gaming and PC games often require a greater investment in time. Before starting a family I used to spend most of my gaming time on the PC playing MMORPG's, Strategy and Simulation titles. I would spend maybe 6-8 hours a day on MMO's and strategy games would go on for days!

I'm not saying that there are no deep console games, but generally the console games market is structured so that a game will give say 20-40 hours of play tops and then the gamer will be onto the next thing. As the report says, a good PC game can last for months and provide 100's of hours of play.

Generally now, PC gaming is just not feasible for me with the amount of time I have to game. All I would have time to use it for games wise is playing prettier versions of the same games I currently play on a console. I wouldn't have time to play the types of games which make the PC such a great platform IMO and it would therefore be a waste for me personally.

If I didn't have a family and had spare time which needed filling then a High End PC would be top of my list or purchases though. :)
 
I think that it seems to be harder to get in to PC gaming as personaly im finding it overwhelming knowing where to start. wheras with consoles its much easier just plug in and go.

Any Help and advice for someone wanting to get into it?
 
I'm not suprised really.

The pc gaming market seems to be by far the cheapest, and the backwards compatability is phenominal, especially with stuff like dosBox.

I know it can be a pain sometimes getting games to work ok on vista, but most have xp.
I have vista but managed to get every game to work one way or another, inc the very first hitman which I was told was unplayable on vista:eek:

It's so much cheaper and the variety of games is amazing.

I recently bought some old pc games from a charity shop for £1.50 each, bout £9 for six games inc divine and beyond divinity, diablo II, dungeon siege, return to castle wolfenstein.
Picked up Oblivion for a fiver and Fallout 3 for £10, thereworth more than that IMOH.

I discovered the wonderful world of fan mods with Fall Out 3, morrowind (£1.99 in gamestation for the GOTY ed), Oblivion etc....all add's much more value to the games than what we get on a console:clap:

The only problem I'm having is space to install everything:eek: Some of the games are pretty big, then the mods want more space. But I'm getting by pretty well myself.
Just feel sorry for my 360 and wii at the moment not seeing any action for a couple of months now :(

tris
 
Only thing I use my PC for is FPS and RTS/MMORPG's. Anything else and I'll buy it on the 360/PS3. Mainly the 360 because live is incredible. Where as PC online is better and has been for years, practically everyone I know owns a 360 and it's great to game together with real mates as apposed to strangers half way around the globe.
 
Hehe, the sales are for PC Hardware, everyone knows all PC Gamers do is pirate software!

TBH, the big thing has to be STEAM and other download areas. The average PC Gamer (IMO) is miles ahead of the average console gamers in terms being prepared to using newer technologies.

With most people now having broadband and most PC gamers being used to platforms like STEAM, the high street store has difficulty competing. Not too mention that online retailers are more likely to be used, even PC Gamers want the box versions.

In Germany though the PC holds the biggest area of gaming in the stores.

Thinking about my upgrade I just bought (pick up tomorrow!! :) ), I actually thought I am spending 550 euros, on what I consider to be a budget layout. I can't imagine ever bringing myself to spend 550 euros on a console alone. Strange how the brain works, PC Upgrade 550 is cheap, New Console 550 is too expensive!

sent back warhammer, i refuse to install that spyware POS steam onto my PC

online mmorpgs are still a big money spinner for PCs, wow has what 10 mill players now?
 
sent back warhammer, i refuse to install that spyware POS steam onto my PC

online mmorpgs are still a big money spinner for PCs, wow has what 10 mill players now?

Nothing wrong with steam mate. Its a good service. :)
 
Nothing wrong with steam mate. Its a good service. :)

even ignoring that you give up your civil rights on subscribing and they admit they scan your pc pron collection and monitor your websurfing, i dislike the enforced updates, ill update when i want to and if i think i need it
 
even ignoring that you give up your civil rights on subscribing and they admit they scan your pc pron collection and monitor your websurfing, i dislike the enforced updates, ill update when i want to and if i think i need it

:eek: I didnt know that. Damn.
 
I don't think PC gaming is dead at all, people who game online and play on there PC also have enough brain cells to order the game online or download it (STEAM)

The main problem is piracy which should hopefully stop at some time with better technology and cheaper prices, PC games are often around £20 when consoles are £40-50 and on weekend deals there only around £10. :)
 
even ignoring that you give up your civil rights on subscribing and they admit they scan your pc pron collection and monitor your websurfing, i dislike the enforced updates, ill update when i want to and if i think i need it

(Wont find mine) Did I just say that :eek:
 
even ignoring that you give up your civil rights on subscribing and they admit they scan your pc pron collection and monitor your websurfing

I only have it enabled when I want to play a game with STEAM.

Also, have no pr0n on my PC, so no need for me to worry on that count :)
 

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