PC game sales up 230%. Console game sales down 28% | GAMES ...

Since there are no replacements for the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 coming this year, PC games have seen a resurgence with a convergence in demand for high-end gaming computers designed to provide ?bleeding edge? gaming experiences.

A decade ago the PC was the system of choice for gamers who wanted the best graphics, the most cutting-edge gaming experience and the ability to play with friends online. Before the arrival of the Xbox from Microsoft and the PlayStation from Sony, the PC was the dominant system for multiplayer action games.

Times have officially changed. ?As traditional gaming companies expanded their reach with new products such as the Wii and Microsoft?s Kinect motion controller, the PC was relegated to a niche mainly for the hardcore. Many articles were written that the demise of the PC was ?just around the corner?. In fact, it was ?taken as an article of faith that the new consoles would demolish the venerable PC. Game sales have shown a remarkable switch in the decade old decline of the PC and rise of consoles.

The gaming world is changing again as according to industry analyst NPD Group, sales of video-game consoles (Xbox, PS3, Wii), software and even accessories fell for a sixth consecutive month in May, tumbling 28% from a year earlier to $517 million. With the release of Diablo III, May saw the first time since July 2010 that the top-selling game was a PC-only title. That boosted PC video games sales up year-over-year to 230% or $80 million.

Epic Games recently revealed its Unreal Engine 4, the next generation version of the ?graphics engine, and to get the full experience gamers will have to update their cards, and possibly their PCs. This could spur resurgence for those looking to purchase game-specific PC.

However, all of this could be a temporary rise. With the expected release next year of the Xbox 720 and the PS4, the console makers will once again have advanced their capabilities. One thing is sure, the prophecies of a few years ago that the PC would be dead are clearly false.

Source: http://gamesgoldenage.com/2012/07/08/pc-game-sales-up-230-console-game-sales-down-28/

capital one bowl winter classic 2012 georgia bulldogs football rashard mendenhall rachel zoe penn state football mt rainier national park