MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Gamers spend more time playing the Xbox 360 online than any other console, with an average 7.3 hours spent per week, a new NPD report claims.
The PC and PS3 follow with 6.6 hours and 5.8 hours respectively. However the PC remains the most owned online format, with 85 per cent of players venturing online preferring the format.
The news is part of the NPD Group’s findings that the average number of hours spent each week on online games has increased 10 per cent since 2009.
It grew from 7.3 hours per week in 2009 to eight hours per week this year.
Research also found that 20 per cent of games bought by online gamers were downloads – up one per cent from last year.
Over half of all gamers aged two and above said they play games online, down at 54 per cent from last year’s 56 per cent.
NPD Group industry analyst Anita Frazier said: The installed base of video game systems continues to grow, the platforms available to play games continue to expand and the options for content acquisition have never been greater, especially online.
And yet, effective monetisation of many forms of online gaming continues to be a topic of much debate and discussion within the industry.”
Data was collected in January from 18,872 players who own at least one online gaming device.
