Core gamers critical to industry during recession

Posted Dec 19, 2008 at 11:18AM by QJ Staff Listed in: PS3, Wii, Xbox 360 Tags: Billy Pidgeon, CSI, GameStop, Michael Pachter, Nintendo
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Core gamers helping to combat recession - Image 1Do you consider yourself a core gamer? Are you dirt poor but still set aside money to buy a video game? Will you spend more time in front of the TV to play games than watching CSI?

If you said yes to any of these questions, then congratulations, you are helping to save the video game industry!

Video game industry analysts are saying that casual gamers come and go, but core gamers are here to stay, and will float the industry through the current economic crisis. "As long as hard-core gamers have a job, they will continue to buy games," says IDC's Billy Pidgeon.

And what is an analyst post without a word from Michael Pachter? So what does he have to say about all this? He concurs, estimating that core gamers buy roughly half of all video games. "They may be wealthy, they may be poor, but they have no clue we are in a recession," he says. Stop using fancy words, Pachter. What's a recession?

Retailers are also looking to core gamers to weather the industry's current crisis. GameStop's chairman Richard Fontaine says "If the core gamers and the avid gamers are with us through these very unpredictable times, that's a very, very good sign for us." Anyone else worried for Nintendo?



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Via Associated Press

 
 
 

Comments [refresh]

by ISOHaven - 2008-12-19 07:01
» WTF!?!?!?!?!

I disagree. Lowering unfounded prices is critical to the industry during a recession.

by PimpFriedRice - 2008-12-19 08:10
» Yes and no

While the gaming industry isn't recession proof there are still many games and consoles being sold. Take the Wii for example, even during these tough times there is still a hardware shortage. When retailers recieve a shipment, it quickly sells out. PS3 and XBox 360 are selling at a steady rate in my area of about 500,000 people. I guess it just depends on how you look at it.

by phiyuku - 2008-12-19 08:34
» Is he calling gamers dumb

Cause I definitely knew we were in a recession way before the slow CNN and all those "Analyst" said we were in one.

by girandhistacos - 2008-12-19 09:09
» Ugh...

Umm... I'd rather buy a brand new game, set it on fire and swallow it, washing it down with rusty nails and cats blood than watch CSI. God that show blows.

by acerious - 2008-12-19 11:36
» what

are the kids still doing playing a ps2? helping recession fail.

by platon - 2008-12-19 11:51
» well

I'm an hardcore gamer and I spend more than 450$ this holiday on videogames... I bought an x360 with 9 games (5 came with the consoles, lol) and a battery charger (yes xbox 360s controllers need BATTERY!!!)



I already have a ps3, next year a wii.



One to rule them all? no, all to rule? Yeah!

by Shatterdome - 2008-12-19 23:01
» yay!

me!

by IXXBC - 2008-12-20 06:21
» Video Games Good.

I agree with this blog 100%. One thing people fail to mention, is that core gamers (as myself being one) it gives me better skills socially and keeps me away from those nasty habits.



On the other hand, we are all money to them. PICK A SIDE.

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