Tue, Sep 28, 2010 | 20:43 BST
NPD: Only 6% of US console users have downloaded DLC
NPD has issued a report stating only 6 percent of US console users downloaded extra content for their games, proving there’s a “large and untapped” market for digital content along with connected devices.
The Market Research firm also estimated that 75 percent of US consumers aged 13 and up didn’t connect their consoles or download content in the past three months, with only 15 percent of consumers with either a PC or Mac being connected or downloading digital content. Research found only 4 percent downloaded content through a smartphone during the same time period, and only 2 percent through an internet capable device such as Apple TV, Blu-ray, or Roku,
“What we learned in our research is that while some people already experience the world in a connected way, most do not,” said NPD VP and senior entertainment analyst Russ Crupnick, adding most consumers still use their devices mainly for email, surfing the web, and other basic actions.
“The promise of the connected experience is coming, as prospective Blu-ray owners want their players to come with connectivity, and half of game consoles are already connected. The doors are also opening wider for music, video, gaming and other forms of entertainment,” said Crupnick.
“Today’s gamer might be a hard-core teenager playing games online with his friends, a 40-something female playing Farmville on Facebook, or everything on either side of that spectrum,” added NPD analyst Anita Frazier. “We would not have seen this type of audience diversification and expansion if it weren’t for connected internet, smartphone, and online gaming options.”
NPD also said prices for Blu-rays players are continuing to drop, and are the “prime avenue” for delivering broadband content to living rooms.
According to the firm, videogames are the main reason behind digital growth, with dual-purpose services like Nintendo’s Wi-Fi, PSN, and XBL growing in popularity with gamers and non-gamers alike.
Connected TVs, according to NPD, are also starting to grow in popularity in the US.
Via Gamasutra.
14 comments
#1
G1GAHURTZ
28/09/10, 8:35 pm
I can’t be bothered to read all that, but it doesn’t seem right to me…
#2
LOLshock94
28/09/10, 8:40 pm
sure it aint 60%
#3
EscoBlades
28/09/10, 8:42 pm
That number HAS to be wrong….
#4
theevilaires
28/09/10, 8:52 pm
has to be I’m sure of it too.
#5
freedoms_stain
28/09/10, 8:53 pm
I conclude that they did a large part of their research in Amish communities.
#6
jeremycafe
28/09/10, 9:11 pm
NPD FAIL
#7
Stephany Nunneley
28/09/10, 9:20 pm
The thing is, you have to also have the number of actual connected consoles in the US. A lot of rural areas still only have dial up, or satellite for their internet needs. I barely made the cut-off line myself on DSL.
#8
Quiiick
28/09/10, 9:55 pm
Thank God it’s only 6%!
Hopefully in Europe it’s even less. \o/
Don’t buy DLC, ever!
Force publishers/developers to do proper sequels and/or new IPs by not buying this overpriced crap called DLC.
#9
The1stMJC
28/09/10, 10:13 pm
6% doesn’t seem right because than there wouldn’t be a smart move for Devs to put effort into the amount of DLC we have today. They amount of profit would be too low to bother
#10
cookiejar
28/09/10, 10:24 pm
I bet 5% of those are those nasty little things…’map packs’.
#11
lexph3re
29/09/10, 12:05 am
This sounds right, take into account more then just gaming consoles. And take every phone sold every ps3 every wii every 360 every pcand consider all the people on the planet being well over a billion. 6% would seem accurate. There are 47mil 360s, 37.9ps3s, and well over 110mil wiis. That’s sales worldwide too. I know I have. Extensive times offline on my ps3 due to internet so no surprise other people go through. The same. Ps. I hate my phone right now! Blasted keypad!
#12
The_Red
29/09/10, 12:24 am
“proving there’s a “large and untapped” market for digital content along with connected devices.”
OR
People don’t want to pay for the content that should have already been with the retail package that cost them 60 bucks.
#13
Psychotext
29/09/10, 12:41 am
Assuming they’re talking about home consoles in the US, we’re looking at a total of 65m machines. Assume there’s a reasonable amount of multi machine ownership and lets say there’s 50m owners (plus it makes the maths easy).
6% of 50m is 3 million. Not a chance in hell just 3m console owners in the US have bought DLC. Stimulus package did 3.5m in its first week… now admittedly that was worldwide, but we can be pretty certain that a significant proportion of that was in the US. That’s just the first week, I’d wager it’s done a lot more since.
For the 3m number to be true we’d pretty much have to assume that those MW2 buyers are the same ones buying Forza DLC, or Halo DLC, or LBP DLC or Warhawk DLC… and so on.
Not a chance in hell. I’d say there’s an issue with their survey methodology / targets.
#14
Unlimax
29/09/10, 5:52 am
Yup .. that’s right !
i think DLC’s not a Big deal for us .. hopefully our companys will deal with free stuff .. at least few.