Report: PC gaming on the rise
by Steve Watts, Mar 07, 2012 8:15am PST
The
PC gaming market has never been healthier, according to a report from
the not-for-profit consortium PC Gaming Alliance (PCGA). The report
claims that in 2011, the industry reached a global record $18.6 billion,
a growth of 15 percent over the prior year. The report cites burgeoning
foreign markets and social games as large factors in the findings.
The results of the PCGA's third annual "Horizons" research report found that China is growing at almost twice the rate of the global market, bringing in $6 billion for a total growth of 27 percent. The US, UK, Korea, Japan, and Germany saw increased revenue of 11%, by comparison. Asian companies, in general, are noted for spurring on sales in their markets.
The report also cites Zynga and Nexon (of MapleStory fame) as frontrunners in the PC space. Zynga in particular doubled its revenue to roughly $1.1 billion, putting it on-par with Nexon. Zynga and the German company Bigpoint were noted for pushing the free-to-play model, already popular in Asian territories, into North America and Europe.
The report also notes the movers and shakers of big-budget PC games from the western market, like Star Wars: The Old Republic and Rift, along with multiplatform titles like Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
Looking forward, the report speculates that the industry will grow to $25.5 billion (37 percent increase) by 2015, thanks to increased broadband penetration and digital delivery. The report is from a PC gaming coalition with a vested interest in trumpeting the industry's health, but even so, the rumors of PC's death have greatly exaggerated.
The results of the PCGA's third annual "Horizons" research report found that China is growing at almost twice the rate of the global market, bringing in $6 billion for a total growth of 27 percent. The US, UK, Korea, Japan, and Germany saw increased revenue of 11%, by comparison. Asian companies, in general, are noted for spurring on sales in their markets.
The report also cites Zynga and Nexon (of MapleStory fame) as frontrunners in the PC space. Zynga in particular doubled its revenue to roughly $1.1 billion, putting it on-par with Nexon. Zynga and the German company Bigpoint were noted for pushing the free-to-play model, already popular in Asian territories, into North America and Europe.
The report also notes the movers and shakers of big-budget PC games from the western market, like Star Wars: The Old Republic and Rift, along with multiplatform titles like Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.
Looking forward, the report speculates that the industry will grow to $25.5 billion (37 percent increase) by 2015, thanks to increased broadband penetration and digital delivery. The report is from a PC gaming coalition with a vested interest in trumpeting the industry's health, but even so, the rumors of PC's death have greatly exaggerated.
10 Best iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Phone games this week
Bastion, The World Ends With You Solo Remix, Heroes Call, Activision Anthology, Splice and more
The World Ends With You Solo Remix for iPad
Bastion
Bastion started life as a critically-acclaimed action-RPG for Xbox Live Arcade, before jumping to PC and Mac. Now it's available on the iPad, as you explore a lush hand-painted world battling monsters, upgrading weapons and marvelling at the landscape.iPad
The World Ends With You Solo Remix
Another hotly-tipped roleplaying game making its way onto iOS this week is Square Enix's The World Ends With You Solo Remix. Set in Tokyo's Shibuya district, it blends battles, puzzles and exploration, as well as an online multiplayer mini-game called Tin Pan Slammer and other connected features. At £12.99 for iPhone and £13.99 for iPad – sorry, no universal version – it's pretty expensive by iOS standards.iPhone / iPad
Heroes Call
Another action-RPG, but this time for Android. Heroes Call actually came out earlier in the summer, but only worked for Android devices with Tegra processors. Now it's available for all, with 30 dungeons to fight through, impressive 3D graphics and – in the absence of Game Center / iCloud on Android – canny use of Facebook to synchronise your game across multiple devices.Android
Activision Anthology
Activision recently rebooted its classic game Pitfall as a Temple Run-esque game on iOS. Now you can play the original, as part of a 45-game retro compilation based on the versions for the Atari 2600 console. River Raid, Stampede, Enduro are also included. The basic app is free with one included game – Kaboom! – with the entire collection costing £4.99 via in-app purchase.iPhone / iPad
Splice: Tree of Life
Developer Cipher Prime Studios has made a series of inventive music games for iOS. Splice is its latest game, and sees you rearranging cells into specific structures, figuring out how they will react to one another while mutating your way to the solutions.iPad
Arcane Empires
Kabam is making a name for itself with hardcore social games. Its Kingdoms of Camelot game has been a mobile hit, and now it's been followed up with Arcane Empires. It's an empire-building strategy game played online against other people, offering a blend of battles, colonisation and diplomacy. It's a freemium game, with virtual gold sold in bundles for between £2.99 and £69.99. The link above is for iOS, but here's the Android version.Android / iPhone / iPad
Split Decision
Mobile gaming is a broad church in 2012. Split Decision comes from an unusual source: magazine firm Dennis Publishing, of The Week, Viz and MacUser fame. This isn't about magazines though: it's a "nonsense vs knowledge" trivia game, asking you to assign things to their correct category – for example, is Breathe On Me a Sylvia Plath poem or a Britney Spears song? It's based on an existing board game, with new question packs sold in-app. The link above is for Android, but here's the iOS version.Android / iPhone
Roll In The Hole
This week's Xbox Live-enabled game for Windows Phones – Microsoft tends to launch one a week – is EA's Roll In The Hole. It's a 72-level puzzle game starring a "chubby panda who just can't get enough ice cream", rolling through the game collecting his melty cones. Colourful casual fun.Windows Phone
Oh! Edo Towns
If you've played one game by Japanese publisher Kairosoft, you'll feel at home with them all: the company's grippingly-addictive simulation mechanics have been rolled out across a range of subjects. Oh! Edo Towns is a port from iPhone to Android, and sees you building a town in Edo-period Japan. Combos, levelling up and cute pixel-art graphics all feature.Android
Blast-A-Way
Developer Illusion Labs has plenty of fans from previous games like Touchgrind, Sway and Labyrinth. Its latest focuses on three robots' quest to save a bunch of hapless 'Boxies' characters from a series of 3D puzzle-levels, using bombs, teleporters and other items. 80 levels makes this a polished brain-twisting take on the adventure-puzzle genre.iPhone / iPad
That's our selection – against stiff competition this week, with games like Fantasica, Granny Smith, McPixel and Eufloria just missing out, although they're all worth checking out.
What have you been playing on your smartphone or tablet? Leave your recommendations by posting a comment
Marvel Heroes Online
Over the last few years, Marvel superheroes have taken the mainstream by storm. The Iron Man and Avengers films alone have done incredible things for all of the Marvel Universe. With a SHIELD television show on the way and more movies in the pipeline, it’s clear that Marvel isn’t leaving the spotlight anytime soon. Traditionally, the video games that followed these movies has been less than great, but that isn’t going to stop Marvel from trying again. Earlier today Gazillion Entertainment has announced the closed beta registration for the new free to play MMO, Marvel Heroes.
Marvel Heroes seems to be set in its own corner of the Marvel Universe, in which Daredevil, Spiderman, Wolverine, The Punisher, and others are totally cool with teaming up to take down the bad guys. In the promo video, The Punisher is ready to clean up the mean streets of Hell’s Kitchen with a clear end goal of taking on Kingpin. The video shows off The Punisher and Daredevil taking out the bad guys together, with a special cameo from Deadpool as he runs up behind two armed thugs in suits with a rocket launcher.
The game looks like it would make those who closely study the Marvel Universes crazy, but it also looks like a lot of fun.
Marvel Heroes was designed by David Brevik, whose fingerprints can be found all over Diablo and Diablo II. The game is described as both an Action RPG and a Free to Play MMO, and obviously you’ll be able to pick your favorite bad guy and roam the streets cracking skulls and getting ready to take down Kingpin.
To sign up for the closed Beta, head over to the Marvel Heroes website and sign up. The beta is set to start on October 1 and is expected to run right up to release day.
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