New Zealand video and computer game sales fall 7% to $158 million - or do they?
Console and game sales slipped in 2010, market tracker GfK reports.But NBR is not so sure ...
Console and game sales slipped in 2010, market tracker GfK reports.But NBR is not so sure ...
New Zealand’s interactive games and entertainment industry has recorded sales of approximately $158 million for the 2010 calendar year, a 7% decline from the corresponding 2009 period.
The data compiled by independent market research group GfK Retail and Technology Australia includes all sales from hardware, gaming peripherals and traditionally boxed software sold through retail outlets, yet excludes revenue generated from online retail sales, downloadable content, online games subscriptions and games delivered to mobile devices.
Sales for gaming peripherals increased by 11% compared to 2009 however sales for gaming consoles declined 7% and console game sales dipped 10%.
A fall, or a shift to online?
Although there's no denying a dip in console sales, NBR's correspondent - who, like many gaming enthusiasts downloads most of his games through the commercial Steam service - wonders if the "fall" in software sales might be more a function of a change in the way titles are being purchased.
Too hard
"GfK doesn’t include revenue generated from online downloads as it’s quite difficult to measure in a traditional manner given the sheer logistics of it all," a spokewoman told NBR.
Better than Aussies
Despite the slowdown in sales, New Zealand’s interactive and entertainment industry fared better than Australia’s market, which dipped 16% compared to 2009, recording sales of approximately $1.7 billion.
Mark Goodacre, director of the Interactive Games & Entertainment Industry (iGEA) in New Zealand, says the country’s video and computer games industry continues to hold its own compared to overseas markets despite the slowdown in sales.
“Unlike other international markets which have taken a large hit due to the global economic crisis, New Zealand’s video and computer games market remains buoyant. Video and computer game technology continues to advance in leaps and bounds, and 88.5% of New Zealand households are playing with games, according to a Bond University study. The slowdown we’re seeing in sales is caused by global market conditions which have caught up to the industry,” said Goodacre.
‘Action Games’ replaced ‘Family Games’ as the best-selling genre for 2010 comprising 19% of the number of console game units sold. ‘Family Games’ and ‘Shooter Games’ tied second place at 16% of all console game sales.
“We’ve received anecdotal feedback that highlights the demand for online subscriptions, digital downloads and mobile games. However, unlike traditional sales, it’s challenging to collect these figures through a single source.”
“As the industry continues to evolve in 2011, we’ll keep seeing consumers invest in a wide range of interactive entertainment offerings ensuring the continued success of New Zealand’s market,” Mr Goodacre said.
GfK data in 2010 was measured against 52 weeks compared to 53 weeks in 2009.