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SuperData just released a new report giving insights on the year so far, and predicted the global games market will be up 12 per cent worldwide compared to 2016. This growth include revenue for digital games and what SuperData calls ‘Interactive Media’, which includes virtual, augmented and mixed reality software, gaming video content (VOD and live streaming) and esports.
Revenue for the global market for games and interactive media should thus reach $104.6bn (79.5bn) in 2017, SuperData further said, breaching the $100bn mark for the first time in history. The data firm also revealed the best-selling games of the year so far, with Riot’s League of Legends taking the top spot on PC, EA’s FIFA 17 landing No.1 on consoles and Tencent’s Honour of Kings topping the mobile charts.
Mobile revenue should increase by $6.7bn (5.1bn) this year, SuperData added, while combined revenue for PC and console will add another $1bn. Immersive technology, esports and gaming videos earned just 7 per cent of market revenue last year. By 2020 they will triple their share, supplementing games’ slowing revenue growth,” the report said. 665 million people now watch live streaming or gaming video content via platforms like Twitch and YouTube, SuperData added.
By 2020, the global games market and interactive media should reach $168.8bn (128.4bn) in revenue, which represents a 80 per cent increase compared to 2016.
SuperData further highlighted the increasing importance of DLC on consoles, with revenue for additional content now accounting for more than half of the annual worldwide digital console revenue, which will reach $7.7bn (5.8bn) this year – $3.7bn being for full games and $4.1bn for additional content.
In addition, VR revenue will increase an impressive 104 per cent in 2017 to each $3.7bn (2.8bn), SuperData reported: VR software revenue will reach $16.2bn by 2020, surpassing hardware earnings for the first time. Gaming has become the primary use for VR, but location-based experiences are gaining traction and will be a gateway to adoption. Video content will become the second highest-grossing software segment by 2020, earning $3.3bn,” the report read.
