Video game systems have been around for years now and you can find people from all ages and backgrounds playing these systems. From Mario Bros. to Call of Duty: Black Ops, videos games keep many Americans glued to their couches for hours at a time. “More than two-thirds (68%) of all American households play computer or video games, a three-percent increase over 2008 that indicates growth of entertainment software across all demographics, according to a study from the Entertainment Software Association.” (http://www.marketingcharts.com/interactive/two-thirds-of-us-households-play-computer-or-video-games-9521/)
In recent months gaming industry retail sales has taken a plunge. ”U.S. retail sales of video games fell 26 percent to $766.2 million in April from a year earlier, hurt by a lack of game launches and the Easter holiday falling in March.” (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37140577/ns/technology_and_science-games/)
One of the reasons for this drop is due to the fact that people are holding on tighter to their money and hoping for the price of these systems to come down. Another big reason is the explosion of social network games and mobile game apps. A lot more people are loading their phones and iPads with gaming apps that produce the same visual quality and content as some of these gaming systems. "The top iPhone app categories among the top 50 are games (82%, includes gag apps)..." "The top iPad app categories among the top 50 are Games (36%)..." (http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-app-store-analysis-heres-the-difference-between-the-ipad-and-the-iphone-2010-5) Best of all most of them are free or cost next to nothing.
For the gaming industry, The NDP Group expects 2011 to be better with mobile games and social media-based games being key players.
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