According to Statistica, PC gaming’s market share is shrinking. Indeed, the gaming’s marketing share in the entire game industry is 24% for PC as of 2019. On the other hand, mobile gaming has exploded during the pandemic, reaching 48% of the market share in 2020, subsequently dwarfing the competition. Experts expect mobile gaming to continue to increase in the near future, reaching well over half of the market share. Based on these numbers, it would seem that PC gaming has been losing pace and market share for a long time. However, not everything is as bleak as it appears for PC gaming.
Indeed, while market share is decreasing, PC gaming continues to increase revenues with over $70 billion each year. In other words, the death of PC games is not coming anytime soon. Besides, there’s a growing submarket interest for PC gaming.
Consoles are an integral part of the family life
Mobiles make gaming accessible, as users only need to purchase the game to get started. There’s no need to invest in new equipment and gadgets. However, mobile gaming is a solitary entertainment activity. While gamers can join private servers to play with friends, the excitement doesn’t extend beyond the players. On the other hand, console gaming is finding a place of honour in the living room, ensuring family members can sit around the TV and enjoy the latest gameplay. The typical player-to-player constellation evolves to include spectators. It’s good news for PC gaming as if console gaming is a starting point for non-gamers, PC gaming is the natural next step.
However, enthusiastic players prefer PC & laptops
Approaching PC gaming as the newcomer on the block requires a hefty investment. Gaming PCs are expensive. They are fully customisable. It’s not uncommon for enthusiastic players to build their gaming PC using the best kits available on the market. Unfortunately, it’s an expensive hobby for gaming beginners. However, less experienced hobbyists can find everything they need at a more accessible cost when they start with the best gaming laptops. Packed with high storage and CPU, most gaming laptops will let players enjoy the excitement of heavy games and live streaming with similar quality to PC.
An interesting trend: Gaming accessories
PC gaming, however, is reaching out to a new and unexpected audience group that seeks high-quality gaming accessories. Indeed, more and more non-players gravitate towards the gaming world to meet their tech requirements in everyday work life. The rise of video call conferences has awoken the interest in headsets, bringing gaming headsets among the most popular searches during the pandemic. Additionally, mechanical keyboards, or gaming keyboards, are also a trending product. Computer-based professionals, such as programmers and even copywriters, have been looking for keyboards that can handle their typing pace. The appeal of a mechanical keyboard also combines the satisfying click of the keys. In fact, some keyboard brands even provide different sound levels for their keys, bringing the ergonomy of gaming design and its unique ASMR feel into the workplace.
Is the PC gaming market fading away? The answer is a loud and clear NO, preferably typed on a colour-coded mechanical keyboard. No, the PC gaming market is not dead. It is growing, evolving, and reaching out to new gamers and non-gamers.
