The number of game console bundles shipped worldwide in 2013 will be slightly higher than the 2012 total of approximately 33 million bundles, according to a new report from the International Data Corporation.
Console sales have been sliding since 2009 but the research company claims this is set to end this year, with new systems being the main reason for the increase. Nintendo's Wii U system is brand new and Sony and Microsoft will also be entering the next generation of gaming later in the year, which it says will help shipments surpass 33 million.
Interestingly, IDC predicts that worldwide prepaid full-game, micro-game and add-on download revenue obtained through connected console channels such as the Nintendo eShop, PlayStation Store and Xbox Live, will exceed that of PC-based channels such as Steam.
Lewis Ward, research manager of gaming at the IDC, said:
The number of online console gamers around the globe is on pace to exceed 165 million by 2017. As a result, the opportunity to sell these gamers digital assets through Wii U, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4 online storefronts will grow substantially in the next several years.
He went on to say the recent decision made by the Chinese government to lift the ban on consoles in the region should lead to millions of additional hardware bundle sales for the big console manufacturers within the next three years.
IDC also expects revenue generated on smart TV, micro-console and gaming-capable set-top box platforms is rising quickly but it will only represent less than ten per cent of all TV-centric, digital game-related spending in 2017. Ward added:
It appears unlikely that Nintendo, Microsoft, or Sony will be driven out of the living room from a gaming perspective by 2017 as result of non-console competition from the likes of Valve/Steam, OUYA, cable/telecom companies, or related hardware and web service providers.
It seems consoles are set for a healthy year in 2013. What do you think the future holds for them? Let us know in the comment section below.
[source idc.com]
Comments 22
Go go Wii U go!
I find that kind of hard to believe that they would outsell Steam in regards to purely a digital perspective (even if it's all 3 companies at once).
Console sales will rise, consoles are doomed, consoles will make a comeback, consoles will become irrelevant...
Lets just say: Consoles are all across the board, both irrelevant and super popular, selling poorly while making lots of money and everyone has them because no one bought them....
@Einherjar ironic, eh?
@Ernest_The_Crab Well, Steam only has around 50 million registered users. Microsoft has over 80 million active accounts. And that's just on Xbox 360, so it's not a far stretch for Nintendo/Sony/Microsoft to easily outsell the PC market.
@Einherjar LMAO comment of the day!
I hope it's true, i Love my Wii U so much that i'm trying this on Wii U right now!
Will the SteamBox (aka "GabeCube") be considered a console?
No matter what, the Wii U is in for a very tough fight. Things are probably a little tense at Nintendo HQ.
Paging Dr. Obvious. Paging Dr. Obvious.
Console sales will be higher in a year w/ 2 new consoles and the re-birth of a 3rd? Isnt that the entire point of new consoles coming out?
Big question - does this include handhelds? If it does the 2DS and 3DS and 3DS XL are due to have big holidays as well.
@Link41x Seems unlikely if physical copies stay at Amazon prices and the download stores keep using RRP. If the introduce the same competition that the market for physical products has then maybe.
Giving a subsidy (Europe wide monopoly) to a company who I despise (game.co.uk) means I won't get any retail downloads.
@Einherjar Best comment I've seen in a while! Bravo!
I alone know of 5 people that will be buying a wii U; due to playing it in my house. They also noted the great digital offerings and the great idea of buying a external hard drive versus paying premium costs for internal hard drive space you probably would not fill up anyways.
I think these "news" come as a shock to no one. This holiday season has so much s**t for sale, it'd be dumb of anyone to think the opposite. Good time to be a gamer! :B
Console sales set to increase in the same year that two major companies release their latest console? And you say this is compared to previous years where console sales have been declining, perhaps because most people have one by then?
I don't know how these industry experts come up with such wild predictions, it's totally radical!
Wii U deserves to sell well! I love my console.
This research cost the IDC millions of dollars, no doubt.
i surely hope the wii u will sell better now...
Of course sales will rise, there are 2 brand new consoles coming out soon...
PS4 and Xbox 1 might sell a ton, Nintendo, not so much.
Also, Steam is making their own console now, steam machines and it runs on their own operating system using linux and everything. many huge publishers are signed up to support it already and that means lots of exclusive stuff.
Nintendo is going to be last of the 4 consoles I mentioned.... so why do they put this news on here as if the consoles they are talking about are Nintendo... its not selling anything.
In 2006 everyone cried over the fact the Wii was underpowered and didn't compare to Sony or Microsoft. The system went on to outsell both. Nintendo has learned that power isn't everything. Sure you can make an awesome looking game but if its boring or no fun it won't sell. Also, Nintendo is purely a gaming first system, Xbox is focusing too much on TV and entertainment as a whole, Sony is... Well.... Sony.
I also imagine (as well as read) that games developed for X86 architecture will be more expensive to develops for. I read gamed will be somewhere in the 70 - 80 dollar ballpark. With that in mind it no wonder why Sony said that they will start making profit once people buy their first game. Spending 60 bucks on a new game already seems too much, I can't imagine forking out that extra 10 to 20 bucks.
I'd say if the price rumors are true then the big N is in a good spot, just like in 2006. Its the cheaper system that can still deliver top tier AAA games everyone can enjoy. Just like with the Wii and DS as well as the 3DS, its just having a slow start. 2014 is Nintendo's year, bet on it.
Watch the profanity and offensive anecdotes please — TBD
I'm sorry... hangs head in shame
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