2015
Company
Documents about 2015
2017 CESA General Consumer Survey Report
The Computer Entertainment Supplier's Association (CESA) announced the March 27, 2017 release of its 2017 CESA General Consumer Survey Report, subtitled the Japan Game Users and Non-Users Survey.
- The 2017 CESA consumer survey estimates that there are 46.14 million active game players in Japan across all platforms, including consoles, PCs, mobile devices, and arcades.
- Mobile and tablet gaming is the dominant platform, with 33.66 million active users, significantly outperforming other hardware categories.
- The domestic market for dedicated home gaming hardware includes 53.26 million owners, 29.44 million active users, and 16.40 million consistent, long-term players.
Classic Game Postmortem: Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail originated in 1971 as a classroom simulation designed to transform history education through interactive technology.
- The Oregon Trail was created in 1971 by student teachers Don Rawitsch, Bill Heinman, and Paul Dillenberger to shift educational computing away from math-centric applications toward interactive history simulations.
- The game achieved significant commercial success after moving to the Minnesota Educational Computing Corporation (MECC), eventually accounting for one-third of the company's annual revenue.
- Developers enhanced the game's historical authenticity by integrating primary source materials from historical diaries, which helped facilitate its widespread adoption in schools.
China Walls Itself Off From Foreign Mobile Games: Market Share Analysis 2016
Foreign-developed games made up just 25 percent of downloads among the top 250 mobile games on China's iOS App Store in 2016, down from 33 percent in 2015 and 39 percent in 2014.
- Foreign-developed mobile games saw their share of top 250 downloads in China drop from 39% in 2014 to 25% in 2016.
- Domestically developed games dominated the Chinese market, increasing their share of top 250 downloads from 61% in 2014 to 75% in 2016.
- The decline of foreign games is driven by the rapid expansion of domestic giants like Tencent and NetEase, who produce titles better aligned with local cultural and aesthetic preferences.
4.5 Million Players in 100 Days: Lessons from Dying Light
The success of the open-world survival game Dying Light, which reached 4.5 million players within its first 100 days of release in 2015, is attributed to a strategic combination of pre-launch feature communication and aggressive post-launch community engagement.
- Techland achieved 4.5 million players within the first 100 days of Dying Light's release by focusing on clear communication of core game pillars, such as melee combat, the day-night cycle, and co-op play.
- The development team maintained pre-release momentum by releasing weekly 'Dying Highlights' gameplay videos rather than traditional marketing trailers, showcasing specific features and humorous scenarios.
- Post-launch engagement was driven by a robust telemetry system that tracked player behavior, resulting in a high 35-40% completion rate for the PC version.
Raport Bieżący Nr 16/2017
PlayWay S.A. has entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Inter Cars S.A. to launch a nationwide training program and an integrated marketing campaign centered on the video game Car Mechanic Simulator 2015.
- PlayWay S.A. and Inter Cars S.A. entered a strategic partnership in March 2017 to integrate Car Mechanic Simulator 2015 into professional automotive training programs in Poland.
- The collaboration utilizes the game's diagnostic and repair mechanics as a digital tool for skill development among automotive students and industry professionals.
- Inter Cars S.A. provides the industrial infrastructure and market reach, while PlayWay S.A. contributes the intellectual property and simulation software.
Raport Bieżący Nr 15 /2017
PlayWay S.A. outlines its strategic release schedule and commercial outlook for the second quarter of 2017, focusing primarily on the PC and mobile gaming segments.
- PlayWay S.A. scheduled six specific titles for release by May 31, 2017, to maintain steady cash flow and mitigate market risk.
- The PC release slate includes Bad Dream Coma, Train Mechanic Simulator 2017, Slice Dice and Rice, and Fit Club.
- The company is expanding existing franchises with the Wheeler Dealers DLC for Car Mechanic Simulator 2015 and a mobile port of Farm Expert 2017 for Android and iOS.
FIFA 17, Battlefield 1 and Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Were the Most Successful PC and Console Games of 2016
FIFA 17, Battlefield 1 and Uncharted 4: A Thief's End were the most successful PC and console games published in Germany in 2016, according to the German Games Industry Association (BIU).
- In 2016, 'FIFA 17', 'Battlefield 1', and 'Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End' were the most successful PC and console games in Germany, each earning a BIU special award for selling over 500,000 units on a single platform.
- 'FIFA 17' was the top performer, surpassing one million units sold across multiple platforms, while both it and 'Battlefield 1' received the BIU Multiplatform Award for exceeding 500,000 units on multiple platforms.
- The BIU also recognized 'Star Wars: Battlefront', 'Call of Duty: Black Ops III', and 'FIFA 16' with 2016 Multiplatform Awards for selling over 500,000 units across different platforms.
Turnover Generated by Game Apps for Smartphones and Tablets: Germany 2017
Germany's mobile gaming market expanded sharply in the first half of 2016, with game apps for smartphones and tablets generating 208 million euros in turnover, a 27 percent increase over the 164 million euros recorded in the same period of 2015.
- Turnover for smartphone and tablet game apps in Germany reached 208 million euros in the first half of 2016, representing a 27% year-on-year increase from 164 million euros in the first half of 2015.
- The total German market for computer and video games grew by 10% in the first half of 2016, generating 971 million euros in total turnover.
- Microtransactions for virtual goods and additional content are the primary growth drivers for mobile game apps, with segment turnover rising 30% to 199 million euros, while direct sales of game apps fell from 11 million to 9 million euros.
How to Build an Indie Game Co-Working Space
Establishing a successful co-working space for independent game developers requires a strategic balance of community building, financial discipline, and operational resilience.
- Establishing a sustainable co-working space requires a core group of committed members to reach the break-even point and offset significant upfront costs like security deposits, renovations, and equipment.
- Founders must prioritize operational resilience by utilizing automated management software to handle recurring billing and administrative tasks efficiently.
- The Gamenest model, established in 2015, demonstrates that success in high-cost urban environments like San Francisco depends on thorough research into local zoning and accessibility regulations.
German Market for Computer and Video Games: First Half 2017
The German market for computer and video games grew 10 per cent in the first half of 2016, reaching 971 million euros in turnover versus 884 million euros in the same period of 2015.
- The German computer and video game market generated 971 million euros in revenue during the first half of 2016, representing a 10 percent increase over the 884 million euros recorded in the same period of 2015.
- Revenue from virtual goods and additional content, driven by microtransactions and free-to-play titles, grew by 20 percent to reach 317 million euros.
- Expenditure on fee-based online networks, such as PlayStation Plus and Xbox Live Gold, saw a significant 144 percent increase, rising from 21 million euros in the first half of 2015 to 51 million euros in the first half of 2016.
Approximately 9 Million Germans Pre-order Computer and Video Games
Pre-ordering is widespread among German gamers, according to a 2016 survey commissioned by the BIU, the German Games Industry Association, and conducted by market research institute GfK.
- Approximately 9 million Germans, representing 26% of all gamers, pre-order computer and video games to ensure access on the official release date.
- Online platforms are the primary channel for pre-orders, utilized by 23% of gamers, while traditional brick-and-mortar retail accounts for only 4% of pre-orders.
- Digital download platforms accounted for 33% of all PC and console game unit sales in 2015.
Raport Bieżący Nr 9/2017
PlayWay S.A. has entered into a strategic licensing agreement with Discovery Licensing Inc. to develop and publish video games based on popular television franchises.
- PlayWay S.A. has secured a strategic licensing agreement with Discovery Licensing Inc. to develop and publish video games based on the Wheeler Dealers, Gold Rush, and Diesel Brothers franchises.
- The partnership includes a comprehensive marketing commitment from Discovery, featuring television advertising, social media promotion, and on-screen talent endorsements to drive game visibility.
- The agreement covers a wide range of platforms, including PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, handheld consoles, and mobile devices, with releases scheduled between 2017 and 2019.