Downloaded Game Sales Surge as Demand for Packaged Titles Fall

by Danny King Sep 20th 2010 3:45PM
Updated Sep 21st 2010 7:02AM

Sales of digitally-downloaded video games are surging this year as cash-strapped gamers buy fewer new titles from retailers in favor of cheaper games that may be purchased online, NPD Group said in a study released Monday.

Players downloaded 11.2 million personal-computer games from the Internet during the first six months of the year, up 37% from the 8.2 million purchased for the year-earlier period, according to NPD Group. Steamgames.com was the largest so-called frontline digital retailer, while Bigfishgames.com sold the most casual-gaming titles online, NPD Group said.

The numbers contrast with sales of pricier packaged games purchased from retailers such as GameStop and Best Buy. NPD said earlier this month that U.S. video game sales had their worst August in four years, with software revenue dropping 14%. Through August, hardware and software games revenue is down 8% from a year earlier.

Meanwhile, almost 57 million people have played a game on a social network within the past three months, according to NPD.

"The overall decline of PC games when combining sales via both digital downloads and physical retail sales is impacted by the expansion of social network gaming as well as the continued expansion of free game options," NPD Group industry analyst Anita Frazier said in today's statement.

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drw465784

Download some of these numbers...Sales Tax Hotel Tax School Tax Liquor Tax Luxury Tax Excise Taxes Property Tax Cigarette Tax Medicare Tax Inventory Tax Car Rental Tax Real Estate Tax Well Permit Tax Fuel Permit Tax Inheritance Tax Road Usage Tax CDL license Tax Dog License Tax State Income Tax Food License Tax Vehicle Sales Tax Gross Receipts Tax Social Security Tax Service Charge Tax Fishing License Tax Federal Income Tax Building Permit Tax IRS Interest Charges Hunting License Tax Marriage License Tax Corporate Income Tax Personal Property Tax Accounts Receivable Tax Recreational Vehicle Tax Workers Compensation Tax Watercraft Registration Tax Telephone Usage Charge Tax Telephone Federal Excise Tax Telephone State and Local Tax IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax) State Unemployment Tax (SUTA) Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax Telephone Federal Universal Service FeeTax Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon) Utility Taxes Vehicle License Registration Tax Telephone Recurring and Nonrecurring Charges Tax Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, & our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. We also were A Common Law Country! I have set up a place that the poor and middle class in the country can start to get some of this tax money back. It is our turn to have a piece of the action. Here is my way to get your loot back. Just google EASY STOCK CASH and click the first link. Once you get there, go right to the PENNY STOCK page to see what the rich don't want you to know.

September 21 2010 at 5:22 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply