6 facts about the video game market for the year from SuperData
The analytical company SuperData has published a large-scale study of the video game market by the end of 2017 (excluding retail). The main figures and facts are in our material.
Fact #1: The mobile games market earns more than the console and desktop combined
Of the $100.5 billion that digital games earned last year, most of it is for mobile. Games for smartphones and tablets generated $59.2 billion in twelve months. This is $14 billion more than a year earlier.
The main mobile blockbuster is the Arena of Valor by Chinese Tencent. $1.9 billion dropped into his wallet last year.
A little less for other projects from the leading three, also developed and operated mainly in Asia. In general, of the $11.5 billion that account for the top ten most earning mobile games, $7.3 billion earned games “from the East”.
Top most profitable mobile games for 2017
Asia is also the most profitable region for mobile.
It accounted for $36 billion last year.
Fact #2: most of the money in the PC market is for fritupley
The desktop video game segment ended the year at $33 billion. This includes sales of digital premium products, as well as free-to-play, social and subscription games. Of all this variety of monetization schemes, 69% of the money was brought by frituplay. The most profitable genre among free-play games is role-playing (34%).
Top of the most profitable free-play PC games for 2017Fact #3: The patrimony of the premium PC is the Old World
The most important market for premium PC projects is Europe. Here this segment earns more than in the USA, and incomparably more than in Asia.
- Europe: $3 billion
- North America: $2 billion
- Asia: $0.3 billion
Fact #4: shooters are the most profitable genre, both on the premium PC market and on consoles
Among premium PC games, the genre of multiplayer shooters earns the most. It accounted for $6.2 billion last year. The most earning premium game – PUBG – also belongs to it. Moreover, in terms of money, it bypasses most fritupley projects.
Top of the most profitable premium PC games for 2017
On consoles, the shooter genre also earns more than any other.
In this genre, $3 billion worth of games were implemented in 2017.
Most of the games in the cash console top ten also belong to this genre. However, the top is headed by a game of a slightly different direction. It’s about GTA V, which even five years after its release earns more in numbers than any other title.
Top most profitable console games for 2017 (digital versions)Fact #5: Nintendo Switch is the main indie platform
Of the 30 most downloaded games on the new Nintendo platform, 25 are indie titles. SuperData is confident that next year the figure will only be higher. The console’s user base now numbers 13.5 million players who do not have a choice comparable to Steam.
Fact #6: 75% of VR revenue is generated by device sales
Total revenues of VR games in 2017 reached $0.6 billion. A year earlier, they amounted to $0.2 billion. This is a significant increase. But the device market has grown slightly in monetary terms. And it still accounts for the bulk of the revenue of the entire segment.
SuperData is sure that the situation will be much better next year, but there are no prerequisites for this. Shipments of virtual points from most players either fall or remain at the same level. Samsung Gear VR delivered 800 thousand fewer headsets to the market last year than in 2016. HTC Vive has reduced the annual circulation by 100 thousand. Daydream was given the same 200 thousand for implementation as before.
The only exception is PlayStation VR. Sony, against the background of the success of Resident Evil VII, gave away 1.7 million points. One million more than a year earlier.
Annual sales of VR devices
The full report can be downloaded here (if you are in Russia, then you may not be allowed on the page, in which case you should install some VPN extension for your browser that will allow you to get acquainted with the original data).
See also:
- App Annie: Six facts about the mobile gaming industry for the year
Source: SuperData
