The PC is the largest gaming platform worldwide (just not in the way you'd think)

[Napper198]

A report done by SuperData shows us that the PC is in fact a larger platform than Mobile but considering what took it there it is no surprise.

 

The bottom line for 2015: PC gaming is "an undervalued platform... contrary to the amount of attention that is generally paid to mobile gaming, total revenues from the PC gaming market is larger ($32 billion) than that of mobile ($25 billion)."

Before the "PC Master Race" folks take this as vindication for the superiority of mouse-and-keyboard controls for first-person shooters or something, it's worth pointing out the types of PC games that are generating most of that revenue. SuperData reckons free-to-play MMOs generated more than half of all PC gaming revenues in 2015 ($17 billion), with "social network-based gaming" taking another 25 percent of the total revenue haul ($8 billion).

 

 

I didn't expect for PC to be the biggest platform but now that makes a ton of sense.

Am I happy about it? No. Can I blame them? I'd like to but not really.

 

 

Source: SuperData

As seen on: Ars Technica

[Curufinwe_wins]

Ofc mmorpgs with microtransactions are the biggest money makers

[Humbug]

I knew we were bigger than any of the consoles.

But I didn't think we were bigger than mobile.

[GodSpoon]

I mean it doesn't surprise me, but I think the mobile market is a little bigger than 25 billion...

[ZetZet]

Well, China didn't have consoles, so they all played MMO's on PC's. China has a lot of ppl. 

[azurezeed]

I still don't know how people can spend thousands of dollars in MMOs

[Napper198]

That also raises some interesting questions:

 

What would consoles (or their revenue) would look like if they had a lot of these kind of games?

Is it a good thing that there are very few (if any) games like that on consoles?

Is it a bad thing that all these games are on PC?

[Naeaes]

Is it just me or do other think of mobile gaming as a very different type of gaming from PC gaming? I call mobile gaming 'gaming' only due to the lack of a better word. It like bicycling versus driving in a way.

[SolarNova]

Doesn't surprise me tbh.

 

Just because something seems quiet publicly, doesn't mean it isn't there in the background dominating.

 

As for F2P MMO's .... that's not news .. F2P games micro transactions actually end up being ridiculously!!! expensive for a player in the long run.

[ZetZet]

That also raises some interesting questions:

 

What would consoles (or their revenue) would look like if they had a lot of these kind of games?

Is it a good thing that there are very few (if any) games like that on consoles?

Is it a bad thing that all these games are on PC?

You think consoles could have MMORPG's? 30 shortcuts are pretty hard on a controller. Not to mention CPU calculations needed to determine all the positions of players would be so hard on a console, my xeon chokes in games like blade and soul. 

[givegomezthegun]

I don't think the numbers mean anything now that games charge extra for DLC and have microtransactions.  A few years back I played a free game on my phone, where the top player openly admitted to spending over $30,000 to get to the position they were in.  It sounds insane, but there's tons of people out there that just have enormous amounts of money to piss away on stuff like that, across all platforms.  So when you base anything on profits I don't think you're getting a very accurate description of the actual number of people playing.

[deviant88]

Get lost you want to tell me mobile games make 25bil$ with fucking what broken touchie games with graphics from 2004 that cost 5$? im not believing shit.

Maybe 25bil$ from all apps sales not including ads.

[Flashport]

I don't think the numbers mean anything now that games charge extra for DLC and have microtransactions.  A few years back I played a free game on my phone, where the top player openly admitted to spending over $30,000 to get to the position they were in.  It sounds insane, but there's tons of people out there that just have enormous amounts of money to piss away on stuff like that, across all platforms.  So when you base anything on profits I don't think you're getting a very accurate description of the actual number of people playing.

you're right about the number of people playing. but it isn't about that number, its about how much money is being spent by the platform.

if 100 people on platform A spend max $50 and 25 people on platform B spend $1,000, guess where the marketing efforts are going?

[Napper198]

Doesn't surprise me tbh.

 

Just because something seems quiet publicly, doesn't mean it isn't there in the background dominating.

 

As for F2P MMO's .... that's not news .. F2P games micro transactions actually end up being ridiculously!!! expensive for a player in the long run.

 

I am aware of this I just thought that the share on mobile would be bigger.

 

You think consoles could have MMORPG's? 30 shortcuts are pretty hard on a controller. Not to mention CPU calculations needed to determine all the positions of players would be so hard on a console, my xeon chokes in games like blade and soul. 

 

I'm thinking less MMO and more Farmville and that shit, but true. Hardware limitation is one thing and the games that are on it being crap is another one.

Maybe this is also due to consoles being owned by kids who don't even have their own credit card and always need to ask their parents for money 

[givegomezthegun]

you're right about the number of people playing. but it isn't about that number, its about how much money is being spent by the platform.

if 100 people on platform A spend max $50 and 25 people on platform B spend $1,000, guess where the marketing efforts are going?

My mistake.  I thought that was what OP was getting at by saying 'larger platform' or 'biggest platform' opposed to most profitable platform.

[RagnarokDel]

A report done by SuperData shows us that the PC is in fact a larger platform than Mobile but considering what took it there it is no surprise.

 

 

 

I didn't expect for PC to be the biggest platform but now that makes a ton of sense.

Am I happy about it? No. Can I blame them? I'd like to but not really.

 

 

Source: SuperData

As seen on: Ars Technica

They include Mobas into f2p mmorpgs.

 

That also raises some interesting questions:

 

What would consoles (or their revenue) would look like if they had a lot of these kind of games?

Is it a good thing that there are very few (if any) games like that on consoles?

Is it a bad thing that all these games are on PC?

MMORPGs are on consoles too, they're just not as good as PC (not unlike the rest of the comparison)

edit: I've been playing Smite since the early closed beta and ended up spending over 300 dollars in skin + god pack for that game. I dont regret it because it was cosmetics only.

[suicidalfranco]

tfw i definitely spent more money on heroes of the storm compared to how much i spent in every major Steam sales, humblebundles, humble mobile bundle and humble monthly bundles combined in 2015 alone.

[ZetZet]

I still don't know how people can spend thousands of dollars in MMOs

How can people spend thousands of dollars on their shoes?

How can people spend thousands of dollars on food?

How can people spend thousands of dollars on bicycles?

How can people spend thousands of dollars on computers?

How can people spend thousands of dollars on RC cars?

 

 

Same fucking way. They spend their money on what they like. 

[Guest Kloaked]

You think consoles could have MMORPG's? 30 shortcuts are pretty hard on a controller. Not to mention CPU calculations needed to determine all the positions of players would be so hard on a console, my xeon chokes in games like blade and soul.

Well they put Elder Scrolls Online and Planetside 2 on consoles. Wasn't there also a Final Fantasy game there too?

Not all MMO's have a myriad of superfluous abilities.

[Toddwjp]

well i mean asia loves mmos, and tbh the MMO is a pretty good type of game if you have to play in internet cafes 

[ZetZet]

Well they put Elder Scrolls Online and Planetside 2 on consoles. Wasn't there also a Final Fantasy game there too?

Not all MMO's have a myriad of superfluous abilities.

Planetside is a shooter, ESO is also minimalistic compared to PC MMO's, that's why it's so boring for everyone. 

[Crazy Ginger]

There are very very few F2P games on PC that I actually respect. And they are the kinds of F2P games that only have paywalls for cosmetic items. If a game has items that are locked away behind paywalls that give someone else an advantage over me, then no thank you. On mobile devices I don't even consider looking at games that are free, as I know those will either be shit and full of ads or full of paywalls and micro transactions.

[Doobeedoo]

I knew it, and also MMO games were always popular, I enjoy them a ton myself.

While on the other hand I can't believe how much mobile grown, pretty much everything is atrocious.

[Sanctuary2808]

F2P are the biggest money makers? No surprise there, just look at companies like Nexon, with games like MapleStory and Mabinogi. Or Valve with TF2 and CSGO.

[Ryoku]

Well they put Elder Scrolls Online and Planetside 2 on consoles. Wasn't there also a Final Fantasy game there too?

Not all MMO's have a myriad of superfluous abilities.

 

Right FFXIV: ARR on PS4 is identical to the PC Version minus the PS4 version having less graphics settings, you can even hook a keyboard and mouse up to your PS4 and play FFXIV that way or use the controller if you want.  Its pretty impressive really and I love how the console players and PC player play together.