PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
Gaming is showing continued signs of resilience to the global downturn with its market value expected to almost double over the next four months, according to figures from Jon Peddie Research.
The PC gaming hardware market was worth just over $20bn in 2008, according to JPR, with that figure expected to leap to $34bn by 2012. Interesting, $6bn of that is being apportioned to software and services sales.
The largest growth is expected in the mainstream market, where JPR anticipates a company annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21 per cent. Performance is expected to come section, seeing a CAGR of 19 per cent, while the enthusiast segment is expected to see growth of nine per cent.
However, the analyst firm was keen to stress that not all markets would see growth at those rates, with it singling out Asia-Pacific as the most likely to exceed those figures.
The shift to notebooks and an increase in do-it-yourself PC making is have been identified as key trends that would influence the market’s potential. It was also keen to dismiss reports of PC gaming’s demise: "Enthusiast PC gamers often latch onto one or two games that offer multiplayer options and stick to these titles for years," wrote co-author of the report Ted Pollack.
"Retail software figures are not an accurate barometer for the health of the PC gaming industry."
