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What is Gaming Industry Analysis?

Jacob Queen
Jacob Queen

Gaming industry analysis is the process of studying the video game industry for changes and usually involves making predictions about future consumer behavior. In theory, the term could be applied to almost any kind of gaming industry, including board games, but in practice, people usually use the term as a direct reference to the computer and video game industries. People who work in gaming industry analysis might have jobs with many different kinds of companies, from game production companies to financial firms or even magazines.

Someone working in gaming industry analysis needs to be able to predict future trends with some level of success. The gaming industry is generally constantly changing as technology evolves, and someone working as an analyst will often be asked to make predictions about which ideas are most likely to hit home with consumers. For example, someone working as an analyst for the gaming industry might need to try determining whether consumers will be more impressed with graphical prowess in a new game system or interface changes.

Man with hands on his hips
Man with hands on his hips

In many cases, people rely on gaming industry analysis to predict sales. Many companies and individuals who would like to invest in the gaming industry aren’t necessarily experts about video games, and these people would generally have trouble making decisions about where to put their money if they didn’t have someone to offer expert advice. Someone working in gaming industry analysis can give them an insider’s view of a world that they aren’t necessarily all that comfortable in.

Sometimes gaming industry analysis is offered in private to a company, but it can also be released publicly for a variety of different reasons. Some people who work in gaming industry analysis are actually journalists. These people may do whatever they can to get inside information about upcoming game releases and the technology that different companies are working on. Some of these individuals work for print publications, while others may work for online sites that talk about the gaming industry.

Another place for people to get jobs in gaming industry analysis is the gaming companies themselves. In general, nobody needs to have a better idea about what’s coming in the gaming industry than the companies making systems and supplying games. A good understanding of consumer trends is generally needed to make final decisions in these kinds of corporate environments, especially with the large amounts of money often spent on gaming projects along with the expenditures for research and development of new technology.

Discussion Comments

nextcorrea

That first paragraph got me thinking of how funny it would be if someone was a board game industry analyst. I can just imagine a stuffy guy in a suit crunching numbers endlessly trying to figure out how many Monopoly games will sell around Christmas time and how many games of Hungry Hungry Hippos will sell in the fourth quarter. Or maybe they could be a card game analyst that is trying to figure out how many hands of Gin Rummy were played last year.

ZsaZsa56

I would think that gaming industry analysis would be a big deal these days. Video games are now one of the most popular forms of entertainment and are played by more people than ever, across demographics. This industry regularly produces billions of dollars in revenue and is growing every year.

But that being said, I bet it is not an easy thing to analyze. The gaming industry is fickle. The minute you think you have a sure hit on your hands it flops. Conversely, sleeper hits come out of nowhere all the time. Some bets are pretty safe but there is a lot that is unpredictable in this industry.

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      Man with hands on his hips