How long have you been covering the video game and interactive entertainment industry?
DFC Intelligence began covering the industry in 1993 and published our first report in 1995.
What type of information do you provide?
DFC Intelligence specializes in market research and strategic analysis of issues in the worldwide PC game, video game, online game and multimedia industries. Our reports include historical analysis and trends, 5-year scenario-based forecasting, company profiles, insights, opinions and detailed sector analysis.
Why do companies need your reports and services?
Selling virtual goods, using social networks as a game platform, delivering applications on mobile devices, the ability to offer video, music and social network services on video game console systems…..the list of opportunities to make money on digital entertainment seems endless.
Unfortunately, the reality is it is never as easy as it seems. Some products simply do not work for certain markets or platforms. Many market segments are already crowded with competition or barriers to entry are too high. Emerging markets may not yet be big enough to support a major investment.
It is important to understand both where to find the potential opportunities and how to take advantage of those opportunities. Partnering with the right companies and finding the most effective distribution channel is most often the key to success.
DFC Intelligence research products and consulting services are essential for any company looking to make money in the global digital entertainment business.
The focus for DFC Intelligence is developing a big picture outlook of the global digital entertainment business. This allows DFC to help clients quickly cut through the hype and confusion and understand issues such as:
What hardware platforms are used in a specific market?
What are the barriers to entry to a given market?
How well does a given content type do on a specific platform or in a specific market?
What are the emerging trends and opportunities?
How do business models vary for individual markets, platforms and content types?
Which companies are the best to partner with or invest in?
…and DFC addresses many other issues of key importance in developing a strategic business plan or marketing plan.
What specific areas do you cover?
DFC Intelligence provides comprehensive coverage of the international market for digital entertainment including looking at hardware devices, content, distribution channels, revenue potential, business models, companies and trends.
Syndicated research reports that provide a detailed segmentation on both an aggregate level and segmented by very specific product type, business model type, and distribution channel are available.
Full company and product profiles are also provided and most products can be segmented on a region and country level.
Hardware devices covered include:
Personal Computers
Dedicated Video Game Consoles
Broadband Connections
Dedicated Mobile Game Devices
Smartphones
Blu-ray players
Set-top Boxes
Tablets
Portable Media Players
Business models covered include:
Packaged Good Sales
Digital Distribution Sales
Subscription Products
Virtual Item Sales
Free-to-play Products
Social Network Distribution
Mobile Business Models
Regions covered
Covering United States since 1994
Coverage of Japan since 1997
Coverage of Europe since 2000
Coverage of Korea since 2001
Coverage of China since 2003
Coverage of Eastern Europe since 2007
Coverage of Southeast Asia, MENA, India and other markets since 2008
Where do you get your information?
Over the past fifteen years, DFC Intelligence has built a proprietary database of market information, both public and private. We have also worked closely providing reports for primary research providers such as the NPD Group. On a regular basis we interview industry executives and attend private briefings. Our analysis is based on solid industry sales figures, coupled with our insights based on years of experience tracking every major aspect of the interactive entertainment industry.
Who uses your information?
DFC Intelligence reports have been used by over 300 companies worldwide, including almost every major company in the interactive entertainment industry. Our monthly email newsletter goes out to over 10,000 individual addresses. Our clients include leading software publishers, developers, retailers, financial institutions, investors, public relations, ad agencies, law firms, consulting firms, media companies, educational institutions and others. In short, anyone with a business investment interest in the video game and interactive entertainment industry could benefit from our reports.
How do people use your information?
Over the years, we have found that people use DFC Intelligence reports for a variety of reasons, including:
1. Market Planning: Reports like our Worldwide Market Forecasts for the Video Game and Interactive Entertainment Industry have historical numbers and detailed five-year forecasts for individual game systems. In addition, this report has forecasts in multiple scenarios. DFC has built a very sophisticated forecasting model that has been highly accurate in the past. However, we know that predicting future consumer behavior is an inexact science. Therefore, DFC has built its forecasting model so that we can ask questions like “What is the worst case scenario for the PS3?;” “What are the different ways the Microsoft Xbox 360 could change the market?;” “How does the market in Europe compare with the market in Japan and the U.S.,” “What is the best case and worst case scenario for Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo?” Our report contains complete forecasts for all these scenarios.
2. Corporate Training: Many companies are using DFC reports to get their employees up to speed on trends in the interactive entertainment industry. A report like The Business of Computer and Video Games provides an historical perspective and examines how the industry works from development through distribution. Several leading publishers have told us that they use this report to help train new employees. For such a complete research solution, DFC Intelligence offers a bundle of reports in deeply discounted package research services.
3. Business Plans and Presentations: DFC reports are designed as a complete reference tool for executives that need quick access to basic facts for a presentation or business plan. Oftentimes, even the most experienced executive will know a given piece of information is true, but not have the supporting documentation at their fingertips. Many executives have told us that our reports are invaluable simply for the time it saves them doing business plans and presentations. Our reports summarize some key highlights and forecasts from our more comprehensive report in a format custom designed to be used in business presentations. We release many Powerpoint summaries of our reports and our package research services contain detailed Excel spreadsheets that allow for the creation of custom graphs and charts for business planning and presentation.
Do you offer an educational discount?
The video game industry has become an extremely popular topic for educational research. In an effort to share some of our knowledge, DFC Intelligence has a free monthly newsletter available to anyone that signs up. Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming number of requests we receive from the education community we can not offer free research. However, we have worked with institutions like the University of Southern California to provide custom versions of our reports for the classroom. Please note that this type of custom research is designed for institutions and will be well out of the budget of most individual students.
I am confused, which report(s) should I order?
The most cost effective way to buy DFC Intelligence research is an annual subscription package. This allows you to get all existing reports PLUS all new reports for up to a year at a significant discount off the individual report price. In addition, in 2006 we started releasing Excel spreadsheets for the forecasts in our reports. These spreadsheets are available only to our research service subscribers. For more info on research packages go here.
Our individual reports can be broken down as follows:
• Number-centric reports that focus on revenue potential and sales with detailed five year industry forecasts broken down in multiple ways. For examples, see our Worldwide Market Forecasts or our Online Game Market Forecast. There is also the ability to just get the Excel spreadsheets without any analysis.
• Analysis-centric reports that focus on analyzing the key issues in a market in depth. For an example see our report on Monetizing the Europe Market for Virtual Currency or Virtual Property and Real Money Trading: A Business and Legal Survey.
• Reports focused on both in-depth analysis of an industry segment and detailed market forecasting. For an example see our report The Market for Browser and Social Network Games or Advertising and Video Games.
Most companies that are actively tracking the market will choose to buy an annual subscription that gives access to multiple reports, our online database and the ability to export data into spreadsheets.
Sign up for our free monthly newsletter to keep up to date on new report releases.
What makes DFC Intelligence research different?
DFC has focused exclusively on the video game and interactive entertainment market for over ten years. We feel our reports cover the topic in greater detail then any other publicly available research. Not only have we built a massive database of industry information, but we have built a sophisticated forecasting model. Our forecasting model is based on historical analysis of software to hardware tie rates and how they vary by type of consumer. This type of knowledge allows us to do detail scenario-based forecasting. Because of the uncertainties associated with a consumer entertainment product like games, our forecasts are done in multiple scenarios to provide a best case, worst case and most likely case scenario for individual platforms and markets. This allows users to adjust forecasts as events in the market warrant.
But, DFC Intelligence research is much more then just numbers and forecasts. We look closely at the products, analyze the strategies of the market players and we are not afraid to state our opinions. For example, we have taken in-depth looks at such issues as industry consolidation, rising development costs, game genre trends, growing consumer demand, types of publishing deals, retail shelf space, marketing campaigns and much more.
How do I order a report or research package?
To order either a research package or individual report go here. The best method is to order online via our website. Also orders can be emailed to us.
How soon will I get my report?
Please note that because of the size of the order involved the reports are not delivered immediately. Generally we can get the report out within 24 to 48 hours. Please be aware that international orders can take longer to process. To speed up processing it is best to notify the bank issuing your credit card that you have made this order. DFC Intelligence is aware that many users need our reports “yesterday.” We suggest that if you need a report immediately you call us at 858-834-4340 AND submit the online web form. We will do our best to get the report to you as soon as possible, sometimes within the hour. However, we can not guarantee this turnaround.
Do you do custom consulting?
DFC Intelligence does consulting projects for many of its packaged research service subscribers. We also have access to a strong team of partner consultants in a variety of specialties. For more information go to this page .