PC Games Are Becoming Popular Again, Says the New York Times

Tiamat · Tue, 24th Apr '07, 11:28pm

The focus of gaming used to be on the PC, but it had become overshadowed by a new generation of game consoles. However, according to the New York times, PC games are now making their way back up again, for reasons that range from convenience to the greater sophistication of the titles on the market.

Anita Frazier, an industry analyst for the NPD Group, a market research firm, noted that in the first two months of 2007, domestic retail sales of PC games reached $203 million, a 48 percent increase over the $136.8 million in the period a year earlier. She noted that these figures do not include revenue generated by PC game sales online, or online subscriptions to play PC games.

“Yes, it does look like a fluke, doesn’t it?” Ms. Frazier said. “Rest assured it’s not.”

She said the bulk of this surge in sales is rooted in the role-playing video game genre that, itself, grew 43 percent over the same period last year.

Read the rest at the New York Times website, if you can log in there.

[ April 24, 2007, 23:58: Message edited by: Tiamat ]

Aikanaro · Wed, 25th Apr '07, 10:09am

Hurrah!

Though I'm not sure what they mean when they're talking about RPGs there - I can't think of much in the way of notable cRPGs that would drive up PC game sales...

Ziad · Wed, 25th Apr '07, 8:09pm

Unless they're counting all the "action RPGs" as well - there's been quite a few of those lately.

Taluntain · Wed, 25th Apr '07, 8:49pm

One word: Oblivion.

Equester · Wed, 25th Apr '07, 9:14pm

dont forget nwn2

Taluntain · Wed, 25th Apr '07, 11:18pm

NWN2 was barely a blimp on the radar of best-selling games.

Trellheim · Wed, 25th Apr '07, 11:37pm

And they probably counted WoW: The Burning Crusade as a RPG instead of a MMO. It sold 3.5 million (and it's just the expansion

), Oblivion 3.

Wed, 25th Apr '07, 8:49pm	#4
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Wed, 25th Apr '07, 11:18pm	#6
Taluntain SPS Account Holder Founder Resident Alpha and Omega Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Cori Celesti Posts: 20,863 Blog Entries: 13 Like: 176 Liked 133 Times in 85 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 53,289 Level: 58 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 55.1% Daily Activity 47.51% Weekly Activity 94.96% Monthly Activity 55.77% Achievements Awards	NWN2 was barely a blimp on the radar of best-selling games.
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Wed, 25th Apr '07, 11:37pm	#7
Trellheim The Dreadful Bear Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Finland/Luxembourg Posts: 1,469 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 3,336 Level: 18 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 57.87% Daily Activity 2.26% Weekly Activity 1.29% Monthly Activity 1.51% Achievements	And they probably counted WoW: The Burning Crusade as a RPG instead of a MMO. It sold 3.5 million (and it's just the expansion ), Oblivion 3.
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Tue, 24th Apr '07, 11:28pm	#1
Tiamat SPS Account Holder News Editor We are such stuff as dreams are made on Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: somewhere to the north of where I used to be Posts: 944 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,808 Level: 17 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 23.32% Daily Activity 2.26% Weekly Activity 1.29% Monthly Activity 1.51% Achievements	The focus of gaming used to be on the PC, but it had become overshadowed by a new generation of game consoles. However, according to the New York times, PC games are now making their way back up again, for reasons that range from convenience to the greater sophistication of the titles on the market. Anita Frazier, an industry analyst for the NPD Group, a market research firm, noted that in the first two months of 2007, domestic retail sales of PC games reached $203 million, a 48 percent increase over the $136.8 million in the period a year earlier. She noted that these figures do not include revenue generated by PC game sales online, or online subscriptions to play PC games. “Yes, it does look like a fluke, doesn’t it?” Ms. Frazier said. “Rest assured it’s not.” She said the bulk of this surge in sales is rooted in the role-playing video game genre that, itself, grew 43 percent over the same period last year. Read the rest at the New York Times website, if you can log in there. [ April 24, 2007, 23:58: Message edited by: Tiamat ]

Wed, 25th Apr '07, 10:09am	#2
Aikanaro Gems: 31/31 Latest gem: Rogue Stone Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Elsewhere Posts: 5,521 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 11,717 Level: 31 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 88.83% Daily Activity 2.26% Weekly Activity 1.29% Monthly Activity 1.51% Achievements	Hurrah! Though I'm not sure what they mean when they're talking about RPGs there - I can't think of much in the way of notable cRPGs that would drive up PC game sales...

Wed, 25th Apr '07, 8:09pm	#3
Ziad I speak in rebuses Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Montreal Posts: 4,088 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 9,151 Level: 28 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 72.1% Daily Activity 2.26% Weekly Activity 1.29% Monthly Activity 1.51% Achievements	Unless they're counting all the "action RPGs" as well - there's been quite a few of those lately.

Wed, 25th Apr '07, 9:14pm	#5
Equester I'm an old man? Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Danmark Posts: 1,097 Like: 0 Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts vBActivity - Stats XP: 2,636 Level: 16 vBActivity - Bars Level Completion: 76.35% Daily Activity 2.26% Weekly Activity 1.29% Monthly Activity 1.51% Achievements	dont forget nwn2