2023 Sees the Video Game Industry in Transition

2023 Sees the Video Game Industry in Transition

So far 2023 has been a stagnant year for the video game industry.  DFC Intelligence forecasts that worldwide revenue for PC and console games will remain flat for the year at $74 billion.  However, from a strategic perspective the industry is undergoing a remarkable business model transition. As large publishers focus on live services there is growing potential for smaller publishers and developers. Living Games Redefine Launch Strategies Heading into the holiday season one.....

Microsoft Activision Blizzard Ushers in New Era for Game Industry

The completion of the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard launches a new era for the video game industry.   After years of struggle Microsoft has bought itself a position as a leading industry force.  The overall impact will be huge but remains uncertain.  However, we can start sketching out the major players and how this battle for market control is likely to play out. Microsoft is Now Largest Video Game Publisher In recent months, DFC Intelligenc.....
Gaming Giants: Amazon Expands Video Game Publishing

Gaming Giants: Amazon Expands Video Game Publishing

Overview As the video game industry has become a key driver of consumer leisure expenditures, many leading media enterprises are actively entering the space.  Microsoft’s pending acquisition of Activision Blizzard is one of the largest media deals ever. Of course, Microsoft has been a major player in video games for years.  The fact that Microsoft is taking the acquisition route after years of struggling in the console game business shows 1) how difficult it is to .....
Driving the Future of Advertising in the Metaverse

Driving the Future of Advertising in the Metaverse

An Interview with Moonrock Labs In recent years the concept of the metaverse has exploded in popular imagination.  Much of this has been hype focused on a future world where everyone is wearing a virtual reality headset. The reality is the metaverse has been an evolving concept for years.  DFC Intelligence has published several reports looking at the history of the metaverse in video games going back to the .....
Game Subscription Services in the Metaverse Era

Game Subscription Services in the Metaverse Era

After a protracted government approval process the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard looks like it should go through by the end of the year.  This will place Microsoft in possession of some of the most most successful IP in the video game industry heading into 2024.  However, while Activision content helps Xbox become more competitive with Sony, it does not give Microsoft a significant long-term advantage given evolving industry trends.  Video games are heading towards a single .....
SteelSeries: A Leader in High-End Video Game Accessories

SteelSeries: A Leader in High-End Video Game Accessories

Video game consumers are a demanding audience.  Gamers now pay top dollar for premium hardware accessories including keyboards, headsets, controllers, mice and even mousepads.  The market for high-end video game accessories continues to grow at a rapid pace.  After strong growth in 2020 and 2021, there was a downturn in 2022.  However, the new DFC Intelligence forecast pred.....
Google’s Cloud Game Strategy Post Stadia

Google’s Cloud Game Strategy Post Stadia

DFC Intelligence is doing a series of reports and in-depth research on the future of cloud games, live service games and the emergence of games as a service.  As part of this research, we are talking with experts from the leading companies in the industry.  With products like Google Play and YouTube Google has been a behind-the-scenes leader in video games for years. Becoming a leader in AAA games has been more challenging. Early this year Google shut down its cloud game s.....
Is Microsoft Activision Blizzard Deal Dead?

Is Microsoft Activision Blizzard Deal Dead?

The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced that it is blocking the proposed Microsoft purchase of Activision Blizzard. Does this mean the deal is dead? The answer is complex. Summary: AKA Just Give Me the Answer DFC gets a ton of questions on this subject so we are providing a full summary of events here. However, for the quick summary: No the deal is not dead! However, Microsoft will likely need to make further compromises to appease regulators. The questi.....