ESA Provides Software Stats, Downplays Mature Titles

Thanks to the Entertainment Software Association for its press release revealing a multitude of statistics about U.S. videogame sales in 2003. The overview seems to be that "combined sales for computer and video games exceeded $7 billion for the first time ever, and that a record number of console video games sold more than 500,000 and one million units", and console game players "...most often purchased action (27.1%), sports (17.6 %), and racing titles (15.7%), role-playing games (8.7%), fighting games (6.9%), family entertainment (4.7%), and shooter games (4.6%)." ESA president Doug Lowenstein also downplayed the impact of controversial mature-rated games, noting: "The fact that 44 of the 49 games that sold more than half a million units were rated E [Everyone] or T [Teen] reflects the fact that this industry is producing... content appropriate for people of all ages." Update: 01/26 23:26 GMT by S : The NPD Group, who originated the study, has further information in a press release, noting software sales "remained largely unchanged over the previous year's record-breaking performance", and including the Top 10 PC and console titles for the year.

Numbers Lie

[Anonymous Coward]

Just because half a million games sold, doesn't mean that they are worth it, I know many people in stores looking at games and say, hmmm, i wonder what this game is, the box looks cool, let me get it, without ever reading reviews or getting recommendations or anything. One main thing i always will remember is sex sells, and so i am a bit skeptical about these numbers and the point of this posting.

Interesting

[AzraelKans]

Now this looks like an interesting research instead of hearing the "my console is winning" cries from fanboys this are hard cold numbers who have little to argue about.
However I wouldnt take those as a forecast of the numbers for this year. (except for the ps2 who most probably will continue to dominate the market) you have to realize they are based on the best selling titles of this year which were E to T rated. (Only ETM and GTA figured on the list as M titles) The most important M rated titles for last year were delayed. Doom 3, Half life 2, DNF (just kidding) Ninja Gaiden, Halo 2. If those titles are actually released this year, the balance might turn. Plus those titles were for the consoles that shown bad numbers for this year (the PC and the Xbox) so the ball is on their side this year.

They are lessons to be learned from this statistics, but I wouldnt take it as "M rated games wont sell" or the classic "the PC and the XBOX are going down Nintendo is going up" fanboy rant. The messages are on the lines Old but good franchises still sell (a lot), games that are controversial (and good) have a place in the market (weither congressmen like it or not) and making a movie tie in is still a risky business from all the movie games out this year only 1 was an enourmous success. (spite of its quality).

Re:Numbers Lie

[angst_ridden_hipster]

Yes, but to tie this in to the numbers that they're so hot to compare to ...

Look at movies. Some movies do really, really well, even though they suck.

Internet discussion boards, email, and SMS reduce this phenomenon through widespread, rapid word-of-mouth. But people who buy games based on the box are probably similar to people who go into movies based on the poster (or maybe even the theatrical trailer).

So numbers aren't really telling a lie. They're just not telling you what you might think they're telling you.

Re:Adult Only-Rating Sales?

[Anonymous Coward]

3.6%? There are only a handful of AO titles in production, I believe most of them being JAST or Peach Princess hentai titles. As much as they might have a niche market in the otaku types, I hardly doubt they account for 3.6% of a $7+billion industry...

Re:Interesting

[scot4875]

low, buggy standards of console gaming

Not meaning to flame you or anything, but what are you smoking?

I've been playing console games since the early 80s and PC games since the late 80s. I've never played a buggy console game. (That's not to say that they don't exist, but for the most part any good title will have no noticable bugs) Until very, very recently, the only buggy games available were on the patch-friendly PC.

--Jeremy