Video Games in the United Kingdom

PROSPECTS

Digital software drives strong value sales growth

Video games witnessed good growth in the UK in 2018, aided by the continued strong performance and growth of digital video game software. The strongest registered growth is seen in console games (digital) software, as consumers are consistently shifting towards downloading games rather than buying the physical copy.

Static consoles stabilises in 2018, but its future is uncertain

After a year of high growth for static consoles, 2018 saw growth stabilise as sales of PlayStation 4 (PS4) continued to record strong volume growth and Nintendo Switch consolidated its position in the marketplace after its first year. The continued success of PS4 in the UK can be associated with the improvements made to gaming online platforms allowing gamers to connect easily with friends.

Shift in AR/VR consumer preferences causes a drop in volume sales

AR/VR headsets industry felt a big change throughout 2018 in comparison to the previous year, as consumer preferences have started to change. Volume sales of AR/VR headsets saw a large decline in 2018 as demand shifted away from cheap and previously well-performing products such as Google Cardboard.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe leads video games hardware

Video games hardware continued to rise in demand this year, with the biggest winner in this category being Sony Entertainment Europe, which managed to maintain its lead in 2018. The company’s PS4 continued to see high volume sales in the UK in 2018, despite having originally been launched in 2013.

Take-Two Interactive is the biggest winner in video game software

The world of video game software is a volatile one in which every year major differences can occur, depending on the games released and on how these are received by consumers. Many games have a relatively short lifespan in terms of sales as these are largely driven by hype and marketing.

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