Video games in 2021: numbers and market trends

There are a few days left until the end of 2021, the moment is therefore right to take stock of how the market has gone video games this year, with particular attention to the numbers of those who play. From the data published by the various specialized newspapers it is evident how video games are becoming a more and more mainstream hobbies and able to attract more and more users. Let’s take a detailed look at how video games have gone in this 2021.

Video games in 2021: some numbers

The first thing that immediately catches the eye of 2021, without having to look at any graphs, is the dichotomy that originated due to the semiconductor crisis. The global shortage of chips has made it very difficult to get your hands on a new generation console, a condition that has clashed noisily with the growing interest of the public in the world of gaming.

It is therefore no coincidence that, according to the data provided by the British company YouGov, 63% of British and American users stated that they could not purchase the desired console, opting on the contrary for an alternative choice. Still according to the company’s measurements, interest in video games accumulates 37% of the sample analyzed, a figure in line with the growth of interest in the sector that we have seen in recent years.

If we take a look at the data referring to the gender of the interviewees, the situation changes slightly: where 44% of men said they see video games as their hobby main, only 30% of women said the same, given that they have, statistically speaking, more varied interests.

A small window against the trend with the general trend of video games in the world is offered by the United States, where several gamers have declared that they have chosen to play less during the year in favor of outdoor activities or day trips. This is a data that could be confusing, but which is probably due to the effects of the lockdown, which has led people to reevaluate this kind of business.

The movements in the market

As regards the video game market in general, in 2021 it recorded an increase of 1.4%, as can be seen from the data published by various companies that deal with extrapolating data relating to the industry. Particularly relevant in this sense is the mobile market, which reconfirms it as one of the most profitable ever, since it now represents half of the total revenue.

Unsurprisingly, by contrast, the console market is down 6.6%, a clear effect of the semiconductor crisis we mentioned in the last paragraph. It is funny that these data are in contrast with what was declared by the main players in the console market in this sense, who have repeatedly declared that the launch of the next gen was a sensational success.

We also find a slight decline in the PC ecosystem, probably due to the few releases this year, while it is increasingly evident that gamers are starting to prefer digital video games more than physical ones. Finally, as regards the individual noteworthy games we cannot fail to mention Monster Hunter Rise, first for sales in Japan, and FIFA 22 which instead beat the competition in the United Kingdom.

The data for 2021 are therefore in line with what could have been expected for a year still struggling with the aftermath of the pandemic. The hope is that 2022 will be the year of the true debut of the new generation.