2012 was a rough year for the console gaming business. A lot of people believe that mobile devices and the vast improvement in the quality of mobile games are the key reasons for the decline in console game sales. Others believe that the current generation is simply long in the tooth and new hardware is needed to kickstart the console business. Some believe that the three major console companies haven’t done enough with digital distribution and relying on the boxed-disc model has hurt sales. Whatever the reason, sales figures are down and there are a lot of questions about console gaming heading into 2013.
How do you think things will pan out? Will console game sales roar back? Will sales continue to decline? Or will things remain about the same. Please vote in today’s poll and expand on your answer in the comments section.
[poll id=”171″]
New hardware = new sales but only to an installed base. The console market cannot endure such a long life cycle again unless they become hardware companies like Samesung or Apple.
I’ve bought 1-3 games for consoles in the last 24 months plus. Old tech is old tech.
You’re a different breed than the average consumer though. Just Tuesday (New Year’s Day), I was at Gamestop and some kid was trading in PS2 games for other PS2 games. He also had a skateboard with him and assumably spent most of his free time outside like kids should.
A price drop could spice things up considering there are still people who still aren’t gaming in the current gen or (probably even more of) people whose 360 broke and would be willing to get a new one for less money.
Folks be broke all over, dude.
I’d have thought I was the target market for games though?
Software sales will decline or stay the same this year. If they do go up, it will not be by significant numbers. Limited software on the new hardware will be the primary factor. If Valve launches their hardware this year, I expect their software sales numbers to jump up. Not that they will disclose any of that information. The Wii U will be the biggest software seller out of the big three. Having had a year head start, they will get the most software to push this year. Still, the decline is steep and the infusion of new hardware will bring things up in the long run, just not maybe this year.
I have sincere doubts that the software side of gaming will see any bit of an increase next year. The Wii U and PS Vita both have great potential, but it doesn’t seem like anyone wants to explore it. Along with that, Sony and Microsoft have not given any indication of a new console this year, which is IMO the one thing that might drive up sales. The Wii, PS3 and Xbox 360 are good systems, but they aren’t getting any younger. Likewise, I don’t think producers will feel the need to innovate unless the tools are given to them. It’s hard to make something that feels “new” for a system using the same-old same-old year after year.