Italy isn't just pizza, pasta and gondolas – it's got a burgeoning games market too. Editor of MCV media partner Gamestore Valentina Frigerio outlines the state of the market…
Last year the Italian video games market grew 2.3 per cent (with a total income of €742m). For the first half of this year, a total growth of 47.6 per cent was registered.
The research outlines that the €742m income does not take into account the market for gaming devices (e48m – an increase of 16.5 per cent in value). Video game software has a value of almost €475m, while the hardware is worth €267m, registering a growth in value of 17 per cent compared to 2005.
In 2006, more than 1.6 million consoles were sold: 52 per cent were home consoles while 48 per cent were portable. From a quantitative point of view, the number of home consoles sold decreased, even if there was an increase of eight per cent in the market value – to which the launch of Nintendo Wii surely contributed.
There is, therefore, a tendency towards a 'mobile' use of video games, common to other European countries, where the portable console market is bigger than the home console one.
The fast growth registered in the first semester is a sign of a brighter future for the Italian market, due mainly to the innovative technology, the creativity and multimedia functionality at product level and the evolution and diversification in the product distribution.
Companies, particularly public companies like Microsoft, need to grow.
i mean its pretty simple, they spent close to 30 billion in acquiring activision, they thought they'd make it bk no problem, and that didnt happen.
its just shit that because of MS's miscalculation alot of people lost their jobs.
They are going to use AI for a large portion of the game development process. Upper management need bonuses and the shareholders need more money. So, people will lose their jobs.
They shouldn't have bought any studios. Some is okay...but they went on a shopping spree...stupid
The better question is why did Microsoft buy publishers for a service they were subsidizing they knew couldn't support.
And why are so many websites trying to make people feel sorry for Microsoft instead of truly criticizing the fact they are closing studios and killing jobs that would have been fine if Microsoft themselves hadn't gotten involved.
Quit feeling sorry for Microsoft and start feeling sorry for the industry and the all the gamers who are actually losing out.
THIS IS MICROSOFTS FAULT.
The first thing that happens after any major acquisition or merger is a consolidation of the whole new portfolio, which includes cutting any excess, bloat or portfolios that don't fit the larger MO of the big boy. So far, it's been par for the course with Microsoft and that's why gamers have been so against this acquisition. Tango Gameworks is the beginning. You think Microsoft wants to pay to keep small timers like Ninja Theory in business?
There is absolutely zero evidence to suggest that Microsoft will improve any of these studios, but plenty to suggest that they will get rid of what they don't need and hold onto the IP. The real agenda of the acquisition was always to acquire The Elder Scrolls, Diablo, Fallout, Call of Duty, Candy Crush etc. that will create millions in passive revenue stream for Microsoft regardless of where the games release. Microsoft simply wants their cut.
Because of Games Pass Microsoft has no interest in investing in new IP which is risky and requires creative talent they can neither nurture nor manage. Game Pass has also not grown in the way Microsoft expected it to, even post acquisitions. Therefore the logical thing to do, without serious money makers to release, is to cut as much cost as possible.
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very informative