According to DFC Intelligence, the PC and console games industry could make a massive breakthrough with the help of subscription models.
The PlayStation 5, the Xbox Series and the Nintendo Switch have a subscription service (all three consoles have at least two tiers in their respective services!). Online multiplayer, free games, discounts – that’s what the PlayStation Plus, the (Xbox) Game Pass and the Nintendo Switch Online all offer. DFC Intelligence, a gaming industry analyst firm, estimates that these will lead to further growth in 2022 compared to last year.
According to a new post from the analysts, game sales will reach $72 billion this year with a 5% increase. The 2022 performance will break the record set in 2021. The subscription model will play a vital role in this growth. According to DFC Intelligence, “A major driver of this growth is not new releases, but increasing usage of subscription services from Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, and others. The console game business is expected to see a third of software/service revenue going to Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo for their game subscription services, Game Pass, Switch Online, and the newly revamped PlayStation Plus. Even as prices rise and the possibility of recession lurks, the core game industry should continue to grow.”
In particular, the performance of the Game Pass could be the key here. Microsoft also knows that the value of the service will continue to grow, which is why Sony may have decided to redesign PlayStation Plus (and it’s a missed opportunity for them not to announce on the last Wednesday of the month which retro games will be added to the service, for example…). For a reason, Nintendo has a two-tier model, as the Switch Online Expansion Pack offers Nintendo 64 and SEGA Mega Drive games in addition to the essential NES and SNES titles.
Showing growth despite the lack of consoles will be a significant achievement, but with more and more people playing, it’s not that big of a surprise. We’ll see if the DFC Intelligence prediction comes true.
Source: WCCFTech
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