Analysis: Which 'Not-E3' Games Hit It Big With Gamers?

This analysis evaluates the impact of various "not-E3" 2023 gaming showcases on consumer interest and provides a critical assessment of sales distribution across PC and console platforms. By tracking Steam follower growth and global media mentions, the data identifies Starfield, PayDay 3, and Cities Skylines 2 as major breakout titles on Steam, while Star Wars: Outlaws and Fable dominated press coverage for non-Steam platforms. The Xbox Games Showcase and Summer Game Fest emerged as the most influential events based on median follower increases and article volume.

A central thesis of the findings is that developers should avoid forecasting equal sales across PC and consoles. Empirical estimates for mid-sized hits like Dredge reveal that Steam often outperforms all console platforms combined. This disparity is attributed to the "mainstream machine" nature of PlayStation and Xbox, where audiences prioritize AAA blockbusters like Call of Duty over independent titles. Furthermore, PC benefits from superior internationalization and a more robust "long tail" for discovery via wishlists and influencer coverage, whereas the Nintendo Switch suffers from a crowded marketplace and a heavy consumer preference for first-party titles.

The scope of the research covers global media trends and Steam data for approximately 300 games during the June 2023 showcase period. Additional industry insights note a stagnation in console subscription spending, which grew only 2% year-over-year in April 2023, and a shift in the Chinese market toward overseas PC game revenue. The analysis concludes that while AAA outliers like Resident Evil 4 Remake maintain strong cross-platform parity, most independent and mid-market games should expect PC to remain their primary revenue driver.