All articles tagged with #gaming market
The ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X handheld gaming PCs sold 1,000 units in their launch week in Spain, with most sales of the more expensive Ally X. Despite limited marketing, these niche devices have a modest market presence compared to mainstream consoles like the Switch 2 and PS5, which sold thousands of units in the same period.
Virtuos and industry experts believe the Nintendo Switch 2 will surpass the original Switch's success due to growing demand for handheld gaming, strong brand loyalty, and support from major developers, with early sales already setting records.
Sony is in the early stages of developing a new handheld console designed to play PlayStation 5 games on the go, aiming to compete with Nintendo's Switch and potential mobile hardware from Microsoft. The project is still in its infancy, and the company may decide not to proceed with it.
Wynn Resorts is making a significant investment in the UAE with a $3.9 billion luxury casino resort in Ras Al Khaimah, set to open in 2027. This marks the UAE's first foray into commercial gaming, with Wynn securing the first casino license from the newly formed General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority. The project is a joint venture with RAK Hospitality Holding and aims to capitalize on the UAE's large expatriate population and proximity to major travel hubs. Wynn's early move positions it ahead of other potential casino operators in the region.
The PS5 Pro is seeing strong pre-order numbers, surpassing those of the PS4 Pro, despite being readily available at retail and not fetching high resale prices. This availability is causing scalpers to lose money, as they are unable to sell the console at a significant markup. Sony's Hiroki Totoki notes that the PS5 Pro is performing well within expectations, targeting core customers with its $700 price point. The console is expected to maintain steady sales, especially with upcoming major game releases.
A report highlights that many PlayStation gamers may need to upgrade their consoles to play GTA 6, which will be exclusive to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. With half of PlayStation's 118 million active users still on PS4, a significant portion will need to transition to newer hardware, potentially including the rumored PS5 Pro, to enjoy the game. This poses a challenge for Rockstar Games, especially as a survey indicates that 49% of UK gamers are unlikely to purchase GTA 6.
IKEA is set to launch a new collection of "gaming furniture" in September 2024, aiming to tap into the lucrative $282 billion gaming market in the U.S. The Brännboll collection includes pieces like a tall standing cabinet with a hidden fold-down tabletop for a PC and monitor, a rolling castor for storing gaming tech, and an "easy chair" designed to engage gamers physically. While some items seem practical for gamers, the collection appears to be more of a marketing move, with many pieces resembling regular IKEA furniture accessorized with gaming tech.
Tencent is reportedly developing a mobile version of Elden Ring, the popular fantasy action game, as a free-to-play game with in-app purchases similar to Genshin Impact. The development has been slow, and Tencent has faced challenges with monetization strategies, as seen with the recent cancellation of its Nier mobile game. The move to bring premium games to mobile, such as Capcom's Resident Evil 4 remake and Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding, reflects a shift in the gaming industry, but the pricing structure for a potential Elden Ring port remains uncertain.
Square Enix plans to streamline its gaming lineup to prioritize higher quality games, aiming to address the splintering of resources and the increasing polarization between blockbuster and indie titles in the gaming market. The company's President, Takashi Kiryu, acknowledges the need for clearer distinctions and a more efficient range of high-quality games, signaling a shift away from a wide variety of titles to focus on creating successful games that cater to diverse audiences.
A single "new" Wii U was reportedly sold in the US last month, marking the first sale of a new Wii U in the country since May 2022. While the significance of this sale is minimal, it is surprising that new stock is still available. Nintendo's official sales data shows that the Wii U sold over 13 million units in its lifetime. The company recently announced the end of online play for this generation of hardware in early April 2024. In Japan, Nintendo has seen sales success with the new 'Mario Red Edition' Switch OLED model, which has doubled sales over the past week and year-over-year for the same period.
Microsoft and Sony have signed a deal to ensure that Call of Duty games will continue to be available on PlayStation consoles following Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The agreement comes after concerns from regulators about potential exclusivity of Activision Blizzard titles on Xbox consoles. Microsoft has previously signed agreements with Nintendo and cloud gaming services to expand game availability, and this 10-year commitment with Sony marks an important milestone in addressing regulatory concerns. The acquisition is still pending approval from the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority, and further updates are expected in the near future.
Nintendo suggested to Ubisoft that it should have waited for the Switch's successor to release Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said that they were a bit too early and should have waited for the next console. Despite positive reviews, the game didn't sell as well as expected, possibly due to players turning towards bigger IPs and economic conditions affecting the gaming market. Guillemot believes the game will last for ten years and will be updated for the new machine that will come in the future.
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot believes that the company should have waited for the next Nintendo console to release Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, as it resulted in two similar experiences on one machine. Guillemot mentioned that Nintendo advised doing one iteration on each machine. He also mentioned that the gaming market is suffering due to inflation, and people are being more careful with their purchases.
The US Federal Trade Commission plans to seek a court order to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, arguing that it would give Microsoft's Xbox exclusive access to Activision games, leaving Nintendo consoles and Sony's PlayStation out in the cold. Microsoft's bid to acquire the "Call of Duty" videogame maker in a $69 billion deal was approved by the EU in May, but British competition authorities blocked the takeover in April. Microsoft has offered to sign a legally binding consent decree with the FTC to provide "Call of Duty" games to rivals including Sony for a decade.
Microsoft is reportedly exploring legal options to close its $68.7 billion deal to acquire Activision Blizzard, even if it cannot overturn the UK regulator's opposition. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked the deal in late April to prevent alleged competition issues in the cloud gaming market. Microsoft has filed an appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), though even if it succeeds with the appeal, the ball will roll back to the CMA anyway. Some lawyers were hired and tasked to investigate options, including Activision removing itself from the UK or forcefully closing the transaction and challenging the final CMA veto in court.