Hey gamers! Ever feel like you're just not playing as much as you used to? 😲 Well, you're not alone! According to Newzoo, a leading research firm, gamers worldwide have been spending less time behind the controller, and it's impacting the entire industry. 🎮✨
Between 2021 and 2023, the average quarterly playtime dropped by a whopping 26%! 😱 And get this—the trend isn't stopping anytime soon. With fewer exciting new games hitting the shelves, we're all putting down our controllers a bit more. January alone saw a 10% dip in playtime. 📉
This shift means that PC and console gaming revenue growth is expected to stay below pre-pandemic levels through 2026. The market is projected to grow by just 2.7% from the end of 2023 to 2026, way less than the 7.2% growth rate we saw from 2015 to 2021. 🕹️💸
\"Slower player growth rates will impact the industry's capacity to 'expand the pie' via net organic growth,\" Newzoo mentioned. 🍰🚫
Even the big players are feeling it. Sony isn't planning to drop any new major franchise titles, like \"God of War\" or \"Marvel's Spider-Man,\" in the coming year. 🕷️🔮 Plus, they had to cut their sales forecast for PlayStation 5 consoles after a less-than-stellar holiday season. 🎄😔
It's not just Sony. Companies like Tencent's Riot Games and Electronic Arts have laid off hundreds of employees and are scaling back operations. The gaming world is consolidating, with fewer publishers and a handful of games grabbing most of our attention. 🎯
In fact, between 28 and 34 publishers now command 80% of monthly active users, a number that's been dropping since 2021. And let's not forget those mega-hits: \"Fortnite\", \"Roblox\", \"League of Legends\", \"Minecraft\", and \"Grand Theft Auto V\" snagged 27% of all playtime last year! 🏆
What keeps games like \"Fortnite\" and \"Roblox\" on top? Their awesome games-as-a-platform models let players and creators add new content, keeping things fresh and ahead of the curve! 🔄🚀
So, what does this mean for us gamers? It might be time to explore new titles, support indie developers, or maybe even create your own game content! The gaming world is changing—are you ready to level up? 🎮🌟
Reference(s):
PC, console growth to lag pre-pandemic levels as gamers play less
cgtn.com
