Changing Gaming Habits- An Insight View

Credit- MIDWAY GAMES

This mighty gaming company was once the shining name in the gaming industry. Their gaming consoles were a rage among kids even our grand parents rejoiced hanging with notorious Wii. Now the situation is completely different, Justin Bieber fans often skip DS meal. They feel agitated while playing with Wii. What’s wrong with these kids? This could signal bad times for the Nintendo, world’s largest gaming company. I am not saying that they haven’t tried to regain their lost market. This year, we saw the release of highly anticipated 3DS. On the very second day of its release, complaints start pouring about negative 3D effect. This is one of the biggest points why gamers didn’t like 3DS from the day one. Another point which is very relevant in 3DS case is the lack of games. Last week NPD revealed monthly gaming charts, Nintendo’s flagship console Wii sold dipped further with 172,000 units way below its nearest competitors. Surprisingly, 3DS sold a mere 194,000 units. Whom to blame?  To some extent Smart Phones has muscled down 3DS growth. App stores added more fire in 3DS case. If we see the growth in gaming industry, you will be surprised to know that overall gaming as an industry appreciated in terms of revenue. But, the dominant console culture is fading at a much faster rate. Is it the end of console culture? In my opinion, we are going to witness a sea change in the gaming industry. We all know that Tablet market is growing at a much faster rate than console market. The day is very near when we going to see developer community start making games not for a single dominant platform but for masses. Why I am saying this because gaming is still a niche hobby. Whether you buy Wii games or PS3 games, you have to shell $40(avg price) for owning games. One of the finest examples of changing gaming market is the rise of games such as “Angry Birds”. This game not only targets App centric market but also targeted Consoles & now played in Google Chrome Browser. According to Gaz Deaves, Guinness World Records' gaming editor said in a statement "With the never-ending App Store selection and an intuitive device, Apple has created a gigantic new space for itself in the casual games genre that literally brings entertainment to users wherever they may be." The Guinness recently awarded iphone 4 as the fastest- selling portable gaming system.