During GDC this week, analysts from NPD, iResearch and Digi-Capital shared some interesting research which may very well show us exactly where the game industry is heading in the near future as we move further away from the traditional retail-release method of purchasing and more into the (seemingly?) futuristic method of buying digital copies of games and never having to open a box ever again, well maybe perhaps a console but that’s about it!
During the presentation, GamesIndustry International reported the findings and told how in the US and Europe, that both digital game and downloadable content sales are growing at an increasing rate. The figure now stands at 33% year-on-year whilst the research also shows that the US spent a staggering $5.9 billion on digital account, accounting to 40% of the entire spend in the market.
It is also interesting to note however that new retail games sales and used games sales have fallen since 2011 in which the research said that retail titles had sold 22% less whilst used titles had dropped 17.1%.
Can you see a digital future ahead?
[Source: Games Industry via Nintendo Life]
