PC GAMING UPDATES

2023.Q2

The IDG July 2023 Games Report offers in-depth coverage of the global gaming market. This report features IDG's insights and analysis on key trends affecting the console, PC, and mobile gaming markets, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity into the space. In addition, this report features updated forecasts for the global PC gaming market.

Topics covered in this quarter's update include:

A comprehensive analysis of Xbox Game Pass, evaluating whether it is a net-positive for Microsoft, consumers, and the game industry as a whole
A closer look at Sony's foray into digital PC game distribution, assessing PlayStation game releases on Steam and the company's strategy on PC releases
IDG's review of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and an analysis of the critics' vs. users' reviews
An overview of video game streamers who ventured into the game development or publishing space

Released: July 31, 2023

2023.Q1

The IDG April 2023 Games Report offers in-depth coverage of the global gaming market. This report features IDG's insights and analysis on key trends affecting the console, PC, and mobile gaming markets, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity into the space. In addition, this report features updated forecasts for the global PC gaming market

Topics covered in this quarter's update include:

A summary of the top trends IDG observed at this year's GDC
A look into the growing concern surrounding game industry brain drain and the impact it may have on future games
An analysis of some of the key drivers behind the increasing dominance of top games in the console gaming market
A discussion of how recent events pertaining to the metaverse may shape the future of the games industry
IDG's thoughts on E3's cancellation, why it happened, and whether we still hold out hope for E3 to make a comeback
An updated analysis of Netflix's gaming strategy
A comparison of the global games industry's 5-year outlook compared to other entertainment verticals

Released: April 27, 2023

2022.Q4

The IDG January 2023 Games Report offers in-depth coverage of the global gaming market. This report features IDG's insights and analysis on key trends affecting the console, PC, and mobile gaming markets, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity into the space. In addition, this report features updated forecasts for the global PC gaming market.

Topics covered in this quarter's update include:

IDG analysts' predictions for trends we expect to see in the games industry throughout 2023 featuring topics including emerging sectors, monetization, marketing, technology, consumer behavior, and more
An analysis of Steam's recent regional price change and its possible consequences
A closer look at the hardware hurdles faced by gamers with disabilities and what is being done to address them
An overview of the evolution of Special Edition games bundles

Released: January 31, 2023

2022.Q3

IDG's October 2022 Games Report offers in-depth coverage of the global gaming market. This report features IDG's insights and analysis on key trends affecting the console, PC, and mobile gaming markets, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity into the space. In addition, this report features updated forecasts for the global PC gaming market.

Topics covered in this quarter's update include:

An updated look at the economics of PC/console game development with highlights on key changes and the impact they have on the business of game-making
A spotlight on the sudden influx of dedicated handheld gaming products
A deep dive into the boom of video game-based TV show/movie adaptions and an analysis of the factors contributing to their success
IDG's thoughts on Stadia's shutdown and how it may impact the future of the cloud gaming market
An overview of trends in the VOD subscription space and what they mean for the gaming subscription business

Released: October 25, 2022

2022.Q2

IDG's July 2022 Games Report offers in-depth coverage of the global gaming market. This report features IDG's insights and analysis on key trends affecting the console, PC, and mobile gaming markets, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity in the space. In addition, this report features updated forecasts for the global PC gaming market.

Topics covered in this quarter's update include:

A deep-dive analysis of the impact of delayed titles on the release calendar over the next year
An updated look at the economics of mobile game development
A spotlight on the performance of AAA mobile games, comparing games that are native mobile IP versus those that come from a PC/console heritage
An analysis of how PlayStation Plus's new tiered subscription pricing schema varies by region
A study of Steam's Wishlist function and how it can serve as a predictor of a game's success
A spotlight on how a push in cross-gaming trends at the game engine level can move the market forward
An overview of gaming on Mac computers and the hurdles this market still has to overcome

Released: July 29, 2022

2022.Q1

IDG's April 2022 Games Report offers in-depth coverage of the global gaming market. This report features IDG's insights and analysis on key trends affecting the console, PC, and mobile gaming markets, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity into the space. In addition, this report features updated forecasts for the global PC and VR gaming market.

Topics covered in this quarter's update include, among others:

An analysis of the future of the VR market, including IDG's updated 5-year forecast
Coverage of the Axie Infinity hack and the industry’s shifting thoughts on Web3 technology
Details on PlayStation’s new PS Plus offering and an analysis of the company’s future strategy surrounding live service games
Insight into the industry-wide ramifications of the Russian invasion of Ukraine for developers and gamers alike, plus thoughts on the specific challenges some local companies in the region are facing
A retrospective on the Switch’s journey to becoming Nintendo’s best-selling console ever and how the Switch Lite helped the console sustain its popularity
A summary of how consumers have responded to the launch of the Steam Deck and how the platform’s open-source devkit could change paradigms in the gaming industry

Released: April 27, 2022

2021.Q4

IDG's January 2022 Games Report offers in-depth coverage of the global gaming market. This report features IDG's insights and analysis on key trends affecting the console, PC, and mobile gaming markets, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity into the space. In addition, this report features an updated forecast for the global PC gaming market.

Topics covered in this quarter's update include, among others:

IDG analysts' predictions for which trends we expect to see in the games industry in 2022
IDG's initial thoughts on Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and a discussion into possible actions Sony might take as a response
A further in-depth examination of the current state of NFTs and P2E games
A look into the sustainability of UGC game economics
Post-mortem of console sales performance during the Holiday 2021 season
A deep dive into the success of PUBG Mobile in the Turkish market
An exploration of the evolution of Game Pass and its reliance on first-party vs third-party content growth
An examination of the rise of gaming companies going public through SPACs

Released: January 31, 2022

2021.Q3

The IDG October 2021 Games Report offers in-depth coverage of the global gaming market. This report features IDG's insights and analysis on key trends affecting the console, PC and mobile gaming markets, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity into the space Topics covered in this quarter's update include:

Coverage of the conclusion of a number of pending anti-trust investigations and legal cases against Apple
Analysis of the launch of Amazon's New World and its implications for the future of Amazon's gaming endeavors
Insights into the growing interest in the metaverse
Analysis of the continuing slow tectonic shifts between PC, console and mobile gaming, which vary by market demographic and region
Updates on the China situation, which has escalated since IDG's last report
Overview of escalating supply chain issues and their potential impact on the games market
Update on the esports market and how it continues to be impacted by Covid

Released: October 28, 2021

2021.Q2

The IDG PC Gaming Update covers the latest trends in the global PC gaming market. This report features IDG's insights and analysis, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity relating to the space. Topics covered in this quarter's update include:

In-depth coverage of the unveiling of the Steam Deck
Spotlight on Japan's growing PC market
Coverage of the ongoing GPU shortage
Discussion of how diversity and inclusivity issues are impacting the industry

Released: July 27, 2021

2021.Q1

This update offers in-depth coverage of the global PC gaming market and features IDG's insights and analysis on key trends affecting the PC market, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity relating to the space.

Deep dive into Valheim’s recent success on Steam
Coverage of recent investment in metaverse companies
Analysis of Days Gone and its performance on PC
Summary or recent investigations by the European Commission surrounding Geo-blocking
Overview of NFTs and their potential impact on the gaming industry

Released: April 29, 2021

2020.Q4

This report features IDG's insights and analysis on key trends affecting the PC market, along with thorough coverage of other news and M&A activity relating to the space. Topics covered in this quarter's update include:

Review of Cyberpunk 2077's performance on Steam
Discussion of PC trends in the Asia market
Analysis of Call of Duty's performance on PC
In-depth review of Roblox's business strategy and upcoming direct listing
Overview of MY.GAMES's new cloud gaming service

Released: January 21, 2021

2020.Q3

In this quarterly update, IDG covers the following topics in the PC Gaming market:

Analysis of Steam player behavior in 2020 and how it has been impacted by COVID
Deep dive on recent announcements in the PC CPU/GPU markets
Analysis of a few unexpected standout hits in the PC space and the factors that contributed to their success
Updates on the streaming market, including an analysis of key streaming stats on Twitch, YouTube and Facebook Gaming

In addition, this report includes updates to IDG's 5-year games forecast, a round-up of relevant news and M&As, and top titles.

Released:October 29, 2020

2020.Q2

In this quarterly update, IDG covers the following topics in the PC Gaming market:

The shifts within the livestreaming sphere including Mixer's shudown, Ninja's move to YouTube and Tencent's foray into livestreaming with Trovo
An assessment of the performance of EA games on Steam
The surprising earning potential on PC of older console-exclusive games
A look at a spike in GTA V gameplay and sales as a result of the Epic Games Store's summer promotions

In addition, this report includes updates to IDG's 5-year games forecast, a round-up of relevant news and M&As, and top titles.

Released: July 31, 2020

2020.Q1

In this quarterly update, IDG covers the following topics in the PC Gaming market:

Update on the esports market and how COVID-19 may impact it moving forward
Analysis of developments in the streaming, cloud gaming and digital storefront landscape
IDG's take on the launch of key games in Q1, including Half-Life: Alyx, Escape From Tarkov and Valorant

In addition, this report includes updates to IDG's 5-year games forecast, a round-up of relevant news and M&As, and top titles.