The value of the worldwide market for gaming hardware will pass $140 billion in 2019, according to a Jon Peddie Research presentation made at the Game Developer Conference 2016.
After shrinking slightly in 2015 (although less than the overall PC market), the gaming hardware segment is forecast to return to growth this year. However, not all recession and growth is equal. JPR believes that gaming notebooks face a challenging sales environment, as gamers prepare for upcoming UltraHD developments.
Consoles from the traditional makers (Playstation 4, XBox One and Wii-U) will be the dominant console gaming platform, says JPR analyst Ted Pollack. However, Android consoles from companies such as Amazon and Google are expected to grow faster (although from a smaller base – TA), and be attractive to casual or ‘mid-core’ gamers.
The Nvidia Shield is breaking new ground, with its ability to run Android games on a handheld or as a console (streamed to the TV). The product’s ability to stream PC games may also mean that it appeals to hardcore gamers.
Analyst Comment
We were surprised to see the segment of TV gaming so big, then we realised that it meant all games that are played with the TV as the display, so it includes console gaming as well as casual gaming on SmartTVs.
