Why Aren't You Buying Video Games?

I saw a report that read, "Video game sales plunge in April." Software sales dropped by 22 percent and hardware sales dropped by 37 percent. What's the story, folks? Do you have all the gaming miscellanea that you can afford? Are you satisfied with your current array of video games? Are you using free games like the ones found in Linux? Wait, I know what it is, you're playing games off of MAME to regain your misspent youth and to try and regain the thrills you used to get when putting all those quarters into a console for three minutes of play.

It was the fourth largest decline in sales since September 2000.

So, what's up with that?

Is there an additional story here? If there is, tip me on it.

My guess is that, at some point, even avid gamer's deep pockets come up empty. After you have the 512MB video card, Quad-Core, 16GB RAM and 4TB of disk; what else do you need?

Do you need Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction?

OK, so you aren't using MAME and you don't have a PC with enough horsepower to enjoy Conviction. You're opting for Zynga's Treasure Isle, Mafia Wars, Farmville or some of the other freebies on Facebook aren't you?

In case you're wondering, I don't play those games so don't ask me to be part of your Mafia team or Farmville whatever because I won't. I like ChainRxn on Facebook during those rare times when I login to it but nothing else.

I digress.

What's your theory on why the video gaming industry is taking a beating with an almost 30 percent drop in sales?

[francisco81]

well I can see why, there aren't that many games that are coming out that I personally want. It's been a while since I saw an ad for a game that I must have. Apart from madden every year which is a must for fans of the franchise.

[WASDted]

1) Game publishers need to come up with something new and different, not just sequels to successful games.

2) I'm not if these new figures account for digital delivery of games. Many opt for downloading games through their Valve Steam Account rather than going into a GameStop or Best Buy.

3) Many people are using their "game time" to play social games on the likes of Facebook.

4) Even through the recession people were buying games. Perhaps the bad economy has caught up with the video game market. It will pick back up.

[Netprof]

I am buying games in the past month spanning over april i have purchase Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2, Mass Effect, and Street Fighter 4 for Ps3.

[finito]

Games have become lame. I can't remember the last time I played a game and really liked it. Maybe I have become older? nah It is definitely the games have become too generic. You played one you played em all.

I want somthing innovating like MGS, just don't see it anymore.

Another reason that would contribute to plummeting sales would be Piracy. Why buy it when I can download for free from http://www.#######.com .

Plus with so much choice involved for gaming (IPhone, PC, PSP, PS3, XBox, Wii, etc) means division of gaming industry. Even if you make a really good game for one of the systems, if you don't make it for others you will restrict yourself to that segment of the market share.

It's just a complete mess IMHO, and there is no easy fix.

[jwenting]

The main reason games sales decline is still the ever increasing amount of piracy, now ever more openly condoned by both ISPs and governments with vague laws that state that while providing copyrighted material for download is illegal, downloading and using it is not.
Another reason is the ever increasing popularity of MMORPGs, especially the Korean F2P pvp grinders, which cost tons of money to play (again, especially the "free" ones with their item malls which can cost a serious player hundreds of dollars a month).

The ever decreasing originality of games is a distant third there, but not something to be forgotten.

[finito]

O yes forgot the MMO's!

Gawd it's worse the crystal Meth, cause noone will admit they have a problem and they are addicts to the games. Parents will take a stance well at least they aren't getting shot or into drugs. MMO's as much as I love them need to end. IMHO.

[digital29]

The minimum salary in my country is only 200$, so I can`t afford giving money on games.

[beageo]

We have Groundhog Day - every game is the close to the same - largely as the people who build the games also dream them up. Akin to a movie cameraman writing the movie script. The industry has got away with it - as it's all new - just like the movie industry in the 20's and 30's. But, there are many more attractions today. The end is nigh for so many developers.

Just take a look at the comments of so many game bosses -eg "we have so many ideas internally we dont need outsiders suggesting game ideas". Crap - and crap eventuates.

[katokato]

i usually dont buy games often because: price, price, price, and also that i dont know if it will work with my computer, i also hate steam.

however im thinking of buying battlefield bad company 2.

[K0ns3rv]

My guess is that there were few realese during the time period at question. When World of Warcraft Cataclysm is realesed i promise you sales will be up a lot. I am how ever not intrested in wow, as said before games are too much alike these days. But I have great hope for Guild Wars 2. What I've heard of the game so far it will revolutionise the MMORPG genre.

//K0nserv

[katokato]

same here i cannot wait for gw2

[dmsoul87]

My reason for not buying games during April is because there really is barely ever anything with an April launch date.Most of the games that people are looking forward to heavily usually come out either June-July or beginning of winter(holidays) for sale. It's not that people wont buy the games its just that the developers of the games that have the most hype don't release them until the months when they will have the most sales being Nov-Dec, June-July,its kinda the same trends with movies O.o

[magicianM]

i know why....1st...WE hate steam...u know why...
and nowadays..most of them DOWNLOAD the games from the web which some stupid ass cracked it or do watever thing to post it online and let people download it for free.
from there...it caused the sales dropped...i did buy games..but in my country...some games was like so 'special' and not available in my country...so i download it...tats why...

[bloggerhaq]

I think it is because of crisis.And i think that, people will buy the game when the game is designed to work on small configuration of graphics card and processors.

[bloggerhaq]

it will bcoz of price,and may be due to the need of highest configuration of graphics card and processors

[pierogen]

Yea, I hate steam also, has too much condensation as it cools.
It's time to move on; the next generation or the one after will likely rediscover the thrill of those retro-computer games only they won't be playing them on a computer as we are already moving onto Nintendo, Xbox, Wii, Ipad, android, and that steam variant THE CLOUD! talk about hot air; that is if we survive 2012;)

[Dexxta27]

I'm a PC gamer, seeing as I'm not in America and the price for thise consoles would bankrupt a guy after buying just one game. I used to buy PC games, but then it just wasn't worth it. I like FPS games too, but they are all the same, only considering online functionality. So I just get them online, get a crack and play the single player, or crack it for LAN play with friends.

Even if i could get a console, There aren't any games that really pull me in. My PS2 games are the same as the PS2 ones, jus without the graphics boost

[javanoob101]

Blah blah blah. What happened to Super Mario World eh?

Go buy some Metriod games too!

(Sorry I don't have an X-Box 360 or a PS3 so I love the old games...)

javanoob101

[Dexxta27]

Blah blah blah. What happened to Super Mario World eh?

Go buy some Metriod games too!

(Sorry I don't have an X-Box 360 or a PS3 so I love the old games...)

That's what emulators are for.

[javanoob101]

Yes I know emulators are great for that but weren't we talking about buying games?

javanoob101

[Ezzaral]

... I used to buy PC games, but then it just wasn't worth it. .... So I just get them online, get a crack and play the single player, or crack it for LAN play with friends....

So they're "just not worth it", but you'll still steal them.

[Heyzaneretro]

Personally, I'm not buying any games currently for four reasons.

1) I now have young children, and I have to be careful what I play, and do not have the time to play anymore.
2) Although I have a few of the major systems, my laptop is at the limit for games it can run, and I cannot afford a desperately needed upgrade. It took some doing, but I managed to get SC2 to run without chugging to badly.
3) I used to play with all of my buddies, but over the last few years have lost touch with everyone, and gaming alone does not hold the same appeal.
4) I recently graduated from a degree program which then saw the budget slashed and jobs dry up. Although I have more time now to game, I have far less income to support it.

As for the comment on there "only being sequels," you are right. The video game industry has had a few hard lessons to learn dating back to the 70's when the market was flooded with crappy rushed games (Remember the E.T. game?) that is blamed for the death of systems like the Atari and Intellivision. The revenues on games began drying up several years ago, and I read in a gaming magazine that we could expect that fewer original titles would be produced, because companies wouldn't want to risk releasing a lemon. I'll be danged if that article didn't hit it right on the head. I just wish I could remember the publication or the title of the article so I could post a link.

I miss some of the original concept games, because some of these were truly the best games to ever be released, but at the same time I understand why the companies aren't sticking their necks out. Also, A good game will always be entertaining, even if it is a sequel. I am currently wanting Duke Nukem Forever, even though I know there is no chance my rig will run it.