Console Software Sells Trounce PC, Hard!

[ThaMaskedGamer]

Here is the link to an IGN article, <a href="http://pc.ign.com/articles/848/848034p1.html">Sales By Platform</a>

Basically last year consumers bought $6.6 Billion of software for consoles, while they only spent a paltry $.9 Billion on the PC, consumers spent $2.2 Billion for handheld software.
Guess gamers don't know how much PC gaming RULEZ dudes!!!:rolleyes:

I always new the numbers were skewed badly but I didn't know it was that much of a disparity.

[DrunkenThumbmaster]

But But But........................ 10 million people play WoW.

In all fairness though Korea and India and pretty much all of Asia besides Japan are strickly PC.

[PapaSmurf]

also in all fairness, we're comparing the PS2, PS3, 360, Wii, and possibly a couple of other systems to the lonely PC. Of course all of those sales combined are going to beat the PC. Compare them one on one it will be closer. I'd be curious to find how the PC fairs against the Wii software sales?

[ilnadmy]

$6.6 billion for PS2 + PS3 + 360 + Wii vs. $0.9 billion for the PC? That's not so bad when you think about it. Does this include subscriptions to MMOs such as WoW? If not, you can go ahead and jack up that number by $1.8 billion for WoW ALONE ($15 per month * 12 months * 10 million subscriptions). Actually, in reality it's less because subscriptions in China don't pay a $15 monthly fee since they can't afford it, but it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say that all MMO subscriptions combined could reach the $2 billion mark.

[ThaMaskedGamer]

I don't think it is so unfair when you consider that EVERY gamer has a PC too, hell every househould just about has at least one PC if not more. If you have a device can do a certain function but you eschew that device to go buy something different that can do the same function then that is pretty telling. It means most people do not like the nature of PC gaming, and all the things that you would think are better(hi rez small screens, kyb/m, free internet, hottest graphics) really aren't that important. Even if you looked at alone the 360's software sales were like $3.5 Billion if i'm correct? I could be wrong but I think I saw that in another thread.

[ilnadmy]

Nah, it just means people either can't be bothered, or don't want to, buy the PC hardware required for gaming. Not every PC can play COD4 and The Witcher, for instance.

[Mochan]

This is nothing new, console game sales as a whole have always been bigger than PC game sales.


In all fairness though Korea and India and pretty much all of Asia besides Japan are strickly PC.

Um no, console gamers are more prevalent in the Philippines than PC gamers. I am willing to bet this holds true for most of Asia as well.

Actually, in reality it's less because subscriptions in China don't pay a $15 monthly fee since they can't afford it, but it wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say that all MMO subscriptions combined could reach the $2 billion mark.

In Korea, Philippines, China, and I would say some other Asian countries pre-paid cards are the way to go when it comes playing MMOs. Monthly subscriptions don't catch on here instead people buy pre-paid cards to game for x number of hours, then buy more when their time runs out.


I don't think it is so unfair when you consider that EVERY gamer has a PC too, hell every househould just about has at least one PC if not more. If you have a device can do a certain function but you eschew that device to go buy something different that can do the same function then that is pretty telling.

Weren't you one of those people who loved to argue that it costs way too much to keep your PC up to date to play games? Use your head man most people have PCs in their homes but how many of those PCs lying around are as strong as a next gen system? Stop with the hypocrisy of using that argument when it suits you, and going the complete opposite when it is convenient.

Most people have PCs lying around but a good chunk of them are good only for surfing, word processing and playing Minesweeper or some other 15 year old game that nobody who would buy a cutting edge next gen console would be interested in playing.

[ThaMaskedGamer]

Weren't you one of those people who loved to argue that it costs way too much to keep your PC up to date to play games? Use your head man most people have PCs in their homes but how many of those PCs lying around are as strong as a next gen system? Stop with the hypocrisy of using that argument when it suits you, and going the complete opposite when it is convenient.

Most people have PCs lying around but a good chunk of them are good only for surfing, word processing and playing Minesweeper or some other 15 year old game that nobody who would buy a cutting edge next gen console would be interested in playing.

You aren't listening. I said most GAMERS also have PCs. If you already have a PC it isn't going to be that much more to upgrade it than it is to buy a PS3 or a 360. In other words, for gamers, cost isn't the prohibitive factor. It isn't like gamers are saying, whoa, I wish I could PC game, but i'm too poor so i'll get a console. Certainly not the case, especially considering console games cost more, you usually need to buy all kinds of peripherals, and in general console gamers aren't showing any kind of restraint on their habit. Heck as the economy dies, as record and movie sales drop or fluctuate, console gaming has been immune. So $$ isn't the issue, people just enjoy the nature of console gaming moreso than PC gaming and the visual quality gap between the two products is essentially gone.

[ilnadmy]

Aren't you the one who keeps saying that PCs are MORE expensive than next-gen consoles, TMG? If not, and you want to stick with this argument, then you can't use the argument that the PC is NOT a viable competitor to consoles.

Either way, you lose.