NPD: Hardcore Gamers Spend More on Non-Gaming Entertainment

Gamedaily.Biz reports that the NPD Group has released new data from its "Entertainment Trends in America" report, which the firm plans to make available to clients later this spring. According to the data based on a sample of more than 10,000 U.S. consumers, while the video game industry saw retail revenue triple in growth in 2007, hardcore gamers (defined as those who played video games daily or several times each week) actually spent most of their entertainment budgets on non-gaming entertainment.

"These consumers remain more likely to buy a DVD or CD, than they are to purchase a new video game. In fact, 58 percent had purchased a new DVD in the past six months, 46 percent bought a CD, and 43 percent purchased a game for a console," NPD stated.

Video games as a whole have certainly grabbed the spotlight in America. Consumer spending on music fell 10 percent and DVD revenues flattened last year, NPD pointed out. Teens were one of the key drivers of the video game boom.

[fenderputty]

and I spend all of my money on BILLS. SCREW YOU "THE MAN" ....

[Lord Vader]

LOL ! no doubt !!!

I spend more money on my GF by far, next would be my guitar/band stuff, fourth would be games...

But "THE MAN" is numero uno !

[Genesis5]

Damn the Man!

[ktchong]

Which means it's the money gamers use to spend JUST on entertainment -- after spending on housing, food, bills, necessities and such.

Which means in terms of entertainment spending, hardcore gamers still spend more on NON-GAMING entertainment over games.

Personally, I spend MORE on movies and music than on games.

[ktchong]

The problem is that most games are just NOT good value for the money I spend -- in terms of entertainment value or dollar-per-hour value.

Just think about God of War: Chains of Olympic -- the moment I know it's FOUR hours of gameplay, I've already decided there is absolutely no way I'm going to pay $40 for it.

So, what if it gets good reviews? It's FOUR HOURS, and I just RENTED it from GameFly, finished it in less than a day, and mailed it back. That's $40 saving. It's as simple as that.

The only people who think $40 for a FOUR-HOUR game is acceptable or argue that it has any sort of "replay" value (play the same game all over again on different setting? -- that's just stupid) are only the Sony fanboys.

The only games I buy are those that are LONG, over 15 hours, and therefore I couldn't rent them because I'd have to keep them for too long. Games like Oblivion and Mass Effect are good buy -- they are good value for the money.

Entertainment-wise, games also do not provide the kind of "high" or "emotional" experience that other media can give me. The two-hour experience spent in a movie far surpass any sort of "peak" experience or emotion the best of game can give me (including that God of War PSP which I rented recently.) I don't mind spending $140 for a 3-hour Celtic Women concert -- because the concert give me the kind of "peak" experience that no game can provide. But I'd never spend $40 on a 4-hour game because it just doesn't give me same sort kind of "high". The experience I spent in a 3-hour Celtic Women concert (or any good concert, or movie) is more intense than any 3-hour gameplay.

[Cyrus365]

Like Peg said, considering games now charge 60 bucks, games have to be either exceptionally good, or offer alot of value for hardcore to purchase, where as buying a movie (Standard DVD's for example) can be purchased between 8-20 bucks. At best a new release game you might get a special for 40-50 bucks...that's still fairly pricey.

[DarkSniper]

This article makes perfect sense. This is the reason why PLAYSTATION® 3 is the perfect platform for the hardcore gamer who is looking for a versatile machine. Only PLAYSTATION® 3 is capable of producing highly detailed Blu-Ray movie visuals and is combined with a surplus amount of AAA games.

As of right now, Microsoft is looking to change their identity once again to prove that Sony Computer Entertainment is not their competitor, but their idol.

$niper

[InYourMom]

"Microsoft is looking to change their identity once again"

Just like DarkDiaper has to do every month or so because he run's out of bubbles.

Damn man, don't you ever turn off your anti-MS propoganda?

[Covenant]

Well, most hardcore gamers are usually young, unmarried males with disposable income, so that makes sense if true.

Gamers as a whole, however, represent a much more diverse group.

[fenderputty]

i spent almost no money on gaming since I played an MMO for a year. However, most of the money I spent was on gaming since that's all I was doing. Before that I was at bars most of the time. Actually I was at bars 4 nights a week. After the MMO I got a GF and have been happy in semi-hardcore gaming land ever since.

/shakes fist at "the man"

[RecSpec]

Actually according to their definition, everyone on this site is probably defined as hardcore.

[fox02]

i spend all my money on my GF, clothes and games. and of course bills

[PimpHandStrong]

i buy one or two flics a month and also buy atleast one cd a month.

and i own my own house and live alone

so yea

you add up my bills and the expense for my own entertainment is very small

[Ovidius]

I may only be 16 but I spent all my money on a PS3, an HDTV, 5.1 surround sound and a comfy chair.... With a little help from dad of course ;). All of the rest of my money is going to college, girlfriends, and gas money.

P.S. When I say girlfriends I mean my current one and if I ever lose her and have others in the future! >.O

[RecSpec]

just hope she doesnt read this...

[Ovidius]

I'm not worried :) Here's a bubble just because I'm generous today :P

[darthv72]

After getting married and having kids I am a soft gamer. Although the first few years of my kids life I played games but now they do. Using all my systems and games for their fun while I work to pay "the man".

To go from hard to soft...isnt there a pill to reverse that?

[Bathyj]

Since March last year I've bought about 60 BR movies, 17 PS3 games, maybe half a dozen Xbox, and anywhere from at a guess 100 to maybe 200 DVD's including Box set that have lots of Disks like Seinfeld.

Holy crap, I'm DiamondCore Baby. Thats how hard I am.

Oh yeah, I forgot my 40" Bravia and Yamaha Amp. Man I've spent some money this year.

[RecSpec]

This is actually common sense, of course they spend more on non-gaming stuff. I mean, unless your girlfriend or boyfriend is a gamer, which is highly unlikely, you have to do things with them too, usually not gaming related. Or prepare to be single again.

[Harry190]

only buy game related products

[xplosneer]

Thsi could be respresenting QUALITY of video games in the last few months, and/or the result of the holiday season, in addition to all the other reasons stated.

[poopface1]

My HD tv alone, which I bought last, year cost more than my 360 and all the games I bought. This is a pointless thing to point out cause even an hdmi cable at best buy costs 50-100$(ill get one online for 12$, go internet yay)

[undacovabrothe]

I dont really agree with their research fully but if this is more true I wouldnt be too surprised because generally the hardcore group have more of a disposable income to afford the music cds games and other things, because I know a lot of casual gamers/community use limewire which I think the article wanted to state in someway but really didnt.