The transition to download sales for home game console users such as PS4 and Nintendo Switch is accelerating, and more than half already purchase download version games



Due to a pandemic of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) , the number of simultaneous Steam users will be updated every day , and the total viewing time of game live streaming service will increase by nearly 50% in one month , 2020 The game industry is booming with monthly sales of the digital game market in March exceeding 1 trillion yen . Meanwhile, it became clear that users who play games on home game consoles such as PlayStation 4 (PS4) and Nintendo Switch are more likely to purchase download version software instead of package version software. ..

COVID-19 pandemic turns console gamers to digital sales in record numbers-Polygon
https://www.polygon.com/2020/8/11/21363951/video-game-sales-digital-online-xbox-one-ps4-publisher-figures-ea-activision-2k-games

Daniel Ahmad, an analyst at game market research firm Niko , is paying attention to the changes in the market under the new coronavirus pandemic on his Twitter account.

According to Ahmad, 52% of Electronic Arts' (EA) home console title sales over the last 12 months were from download sales, with Take-to-Interactive share at 55% and PS4 game sales downloads. The sales ratio is 51%. In other words, download sales already account for more than half of game sales on manufacturers such as EA and Take to Interactive and PS4.



Takeh Interactive and PS4 figures are for 12 months until March 31, 2020, strictly speaking 'before the pandemic of the new coronavirus', Ahmad pointed out. In addition, EA's sales ratio during the 12 months until March 31, 2020 is 49%, which means that the ratio of download sales increased by 3% due to the pandemic.



It should be noted that the game consoles such as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, which were used as the mainstay at the time of article creation, appeared in 2013, and at the timing when they just appeared, the ratio of download sales to game sales was only 5 ~ It was only about 10%.



Ahmad told overseas game media Polygon, ``This data was the basis for Microsoft to release the Xbox One S All-Digital Edition , and it should be the reason why Sony will release the digital version of PlayStation 5 That's also true.'

Take2 Interactive, the parent company of 2K Games and Rockstar Games, announced sales of home-use game console titles for April-June 2020 during an investor briefing held on August 3, 2020. Reveals that 77% of this was via download sales. The ratio of download sales in the same period of the previous year was 75%. In addition, Take-to-Interactive forecasts that download sales will account for 63% of game sales in the next quarter, up significantly from 51% in the same period last year.

In addition, Sony revealed that download sales accounted for 74% of game sales in April-June 2020. This is a significant increase from the 53% ratio of the same period last year.



Nintendo has the same percentage of download sales as game sales. For example, in the case of ' Atsume Animal Crossing Forest ' that recorded an explosive hit, it seems that 50% of the sales volume is due to the download version. According to Nintendo's financial results briefing material for the first quarter of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021 (April-June 2020) , download sales accounted for 55.6% of game sales in the same period , and half of the download sales were already on the Nintendo platform. It is clear that it has exceeded.



``As we've seen over the years, consumers are becoming more and more digital when they buy media, and as a result, packaged versions are becoming more convenient,'' said Daniel Alegre, COO of Activision Blizzard . We tend not to go back to purchases,' he said, and we expect the digital version to accelerate.

If game download sales become mainstream, not only will the second-hand market of games disappear, but publishers will be able to expect a 70% gross profit when selling games of $60 (about 6400 yen), for example. We expect consumers to purchase download titles.

The official online stores for home consoles, Xbox Live and the PlayStation Store, lack the strict refund policies and gift options found in Steam, the PC gaming platform. Still, consumers are generally happy with the status quo, so Ahmad said, ``The consumer reaction shows that no matter how the digital store works, there is no digital convenience. It shows that we are superior to the factors.”

In addition, Ahmad added, ``If platform owners decide to adopt certain features, such as refunds and gifts at digital retail stores, I think that digital retail store purchases may accelerate further. Believes,' and hopes that the official online store for home video game consoles will be healthier. However, Ahmad said, 'but platform owners are unlikely to give digital games the same rights that packaged games currently have.'

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