1 in 5 gamers use videogame subscriptions
NPD data shows increase in subscription market and digital downloads
New data from research firm NPD suggests that 1 in 5 gamers currently own a videogame subscription, to either a massively multiplayer online game, online website, Xbox Live Gold or online rental subscription. The subscription market also expanded by 18 per cent from the first quarter of 2008 to the first quarter of 2009.
Although no total figure is given (Microsoft's figure of 20 million users also includes free Silver accounts) the number of Xbox Live Gold subscriptions has increased by 24 per cent from the first quarter of 2008 to the first quarter of 2009.
Other statistics relating to digital distribution suggest that 18 per cent of Xbox 360 users (who also have Xbox Live Gold membership) regularly download titles from Xbox Live Arcade. A total of 10 per cent of PlayStation 3 users regularly download from PlayStation Network.
According to NPD, 17 per cent of all games purchased by PC owners were made via digital downloads. Of these downloads market leaders Bigfishgames, Steam and RealArcade accounted for 56 percent of all purchases between July and December 2008.