Video Gamers Depend on Word of Mouth, Hands-On Play
According to a series of reports released by The NPD Group 41 percent of gamers look to word of mouth to get their information about video games, while nearly a third relies on hands-on play at a friend or family member’s house.
Thirty-one percent of the 20,893 respondents ages 2 and older said they relied on hands-on time with video games at a friend or relative’s house for information about video games.
Meanwhile, magazine and online ads, incentives, coupons and social networking sites were the least meaningful to gamers.
The “Gaming Device Profiles” reports also highlights cross-ownership trends. For instance, 14 percent of Nintendo Wii owners also owned a Sony PlayStation 3, while 26 percent also owned a Microsoft Xbox 360.
Forty-two percent of PS3 owners also owned a Wii and 34 percent owned an Xbox 360. Additionally, 42 percent of Xbox 360 owners also owned a Wii and 18 percent also owned a PS3.
Of players who use the current generation of gaming consoles (the three mentioned above), 56 percent are male and 44 percent are female.
In terms of age, 24 percent of respondents fell into the 2-12 year-old age range, while 20 percent fell into the 25-34 year-old range and 17 percent fell into the 35-44 year-old range.
Card/puzzle/arcade/word games are the most popular for online gameplay for Wii (51 percent), PS3 (42 percent) and Xbox 360 (39 percent) players. However, shooter games were the most popular for online gaming for Xbox 360 (59 percent) and PS3 (57 percent) users.
The video game industry experienced a 16 percent dip in year-over-year revenue in August, according to The NPD Group last week. Total year-to-date sales were down by 14 percent.
Hardware sales were $297.6 million for August, reflecting a 25 percent decline from August of last year. Meanwhile, video game sales were $470.32 million, a 15 percent drop from last year.
The Wii was the best-seller in August, with 277,400 consoles sold, while 215,400 Xbox 360 units were sold and 210,000 PS3 units were sold.
Sources:</strong
http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_090914.html
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10350615-17.html
http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Midmarket/Video-Game-Sales-Slide-16-Percent-in-August-486343/
