Tuesday, July 13, 2010

The video game industry may be responsible for the crisis label

Returning to the fray with the hackneyed themes downloads 'illegal' in this Guardian article outlines an interesting theory about it. According to the author, who defends, like everyone else, it is impossible for each download made equivalent to a sale and that we should at least have all súperCEO salaries to meet such expenditure, the main culprit in the decline of traditional phonographic media sales is none other than the video game market.

And the theory is very simple. According to the sales figure since 1999, was created Napster, music sales have evolved inversely to the video game, ie what the record companies have lost won game developers. The Guardian article suggests that, assuming that the purchasing power of average user of both products has not changed substantially in 10 years, the most logical thing is to think that these users have chosen to spend your leisure in a market much more attractive because they get more for your money.

If a game 40 € offers weeks or even months of fun, an original CD of 15 € for a standard group, taking into account the dramatic musical level we are going through, you will have at most two or three good tracks and a further 7 fillers. It is reasonable to invest in the game and download the 2 tracks salvageable from anywhere. Therefore, the label will have lost $ 2, which is what those two items lowered costs from, say, Amazon, and not 15 € ($ 20).

Totally believable.

And the obligatory questions:

* If the statistics shuffled labels and collection companies conformed to these figures, did any government would support the excessive battle against "piracy" that are taking place?
* If the record companies and fund companies know these figures, what is sought through this pantomime collecting?

Friday, July 9, 2010

Video game industry moved 25 billion U.S. dollars

"Wiii, we are rich"

That the video game industry is huge is not news. Knowing that in 2009 moved 25.2 billion dollars just in the United States is immeasurable. But there is one more item Surprisingly, if the U.S. entertainment programs create a separate country, its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) would be at the location 88 between the 181 nations that analyzes the IMF, surpassing countries like Panama, Estonia and Bolivia. More details of 2010 PC Games Industry Can be found in PCGameTrek.

According to the report prepared by the consultant Newzoo unknown, the U.S. market is made up 182.9 million for digital entertainment enthusiasts (61% of the population), who consume on average $ 138 per year, between games, consoles and accessories.

To reach this result huge, the study interviewed 12 000 people and included computer games, casual and mobile software. Moreover, added the sale in stores, online subscriptions, downloads and even used games. The numbers are slightly higher than those of analyzing company NPD, who said that last year the industry moved "just" 18.96 billion U.S. dollars

According Newzoola, games consoles up 61% of the market, while computers account for 16% and mobile games reach only 3%. The rest are divided between expenditures for web sites (10%) and payments for subscriptions multiplayer games (9%).

Monday, July 5, 2010

A new look at the video game industry

Microsoft and EA threw the first stone of what awaits us in the video game industry in the coming years. Gone are the games full of trash talk, the marathon sessions of Halo or Modern Warfare, now the industry has turned to the social domain, that of what they hear every day. But unlike socializing through networks like Facebook or Twitter, the challenge of 2010 PC Games industry is going to get back to where we were playing at home, which was given in the days of Atari or NES and was gradually losing.

A few years ago hinted that Microsoft would go down this path by implementing Xbox Live Arcade on Xbox 360, but it was not until the success of the Wii thought that the two giants in the importance of the casual market and how to leverage their platforms to achieve a new experience. Both Microsoft and Electronic Arts speak of a revolution, something that will forever change the game industry and while not the first (thanks Wii) seems to be no rest until they make this change is grounded. Is this the change we need?

After seeing the two conferences I can give me an idea that the industry will be divided once again, first to the consoles that we have opted for a family game and on the other developers who follow the line of mobile phones, Facebook and other platforms for interaction. Both roads are on the concept of socializing, each in their own way and is something we have to live through the coming years.

Until recently thought that hardcore gamers were a species threatened with extinction, now I have no doubt that eventually become extinct. It may survive one another nostalgic cling to the past, as many now are betting on the PC, however not form part of this new society of gamers.

The new industry self-commitment to a player, he has no problem to invite their friends to dinner and making a fool trying to dance Dance Central. In terms of games the word "Accessible" is the cornerstone of this movement. The interfaces will eventually be simplified so that anyone can pick up the game and enjoy it. Examples of this movement are present in current games like Prince of Persia or Splinter Cell: Conviction.

The technology will do its part, the question then becomes: Are they prepared to face this change?

Salaries of Employees Of The Gaming Industry

PC Games Magazine: Salaries of employees of the gaming industry

PCGameTrek.Com has done, as every year, a survey of the salaries earned by professionals in the games industry in England. In this period it was a small drop (1 percentage point) compared with the previous year.

It is estimated that on average, this type of professional billing £ 31,509 pounds or $ 51,331 dollars a year. This translates into a monthly income of $ 4,277 dollars, I have no idea whether it will be a lot or a little compared to the cost of living in the region (if any reader knows please instruct).

There are other very interesting facts that are the average wages by industry area, like this:

* Marketing and Advertising: £ 44,133 / $ 72,358 (2009: £ 43,600 / $ 70,571)
* Services and Range: £ 32,790 / $ 52,808 (2009: £ 31.243 / $ 52,467)
* Development: £ 31,964 / $ 52,773 (2009: £ 30,552 / $ 49,113)
* Average: £ 18,056 / $ 29,125 (2009: £ 18,235 / $ 29,347)
* Communications: £ 28,458 / $ 47,567 (2009: £ 26,673 / $ 42,896)

Something that does not fit much on the subject but that strikes me is the considerable attention that the dollar depreciated against the pound, you can actually see that money is the strongest. In short, these are the data on the income of the people in charge of giving us fun year after year.

What do you think?