Years ago, the variety of gaming platforms was very limited; in those days there were simple devices called Atari. These devices were a kind of early console; types that are now extinct, and comparing them with new consoles is enough to make one laugh. Square disks were placed on Atari machines, and with controllers that were called meat-pounder joysticks, games could be played. Games that were, of course, extremely simple, whose great popularity is unimaginable to us today.
When mobile phones arrived and Nokia handsets became widespread, a pointless but captivating game became popular that has no exact name. Nokia Snake, snake game, and Snake are names that can be applied to that game. The snake grew longer and longer by eating every dot that appeared on the screen, and controlling it was very difficult. At this time, of course, one could also play with a computer and a keyboard. CDs were placed in computer cases with enthusiasm, the installation process was completed with excitement, and hours upon hours of playing began. Today, however, the story is different. Large televisions and computers and powerful consoles and smartphones have become the medium for games that are large-scale, realistic, story-driven, and artistic.
Video games: a 3-billion-person industry
At present, more than 3 billion people in the world are considered gamers. In terms of uptake of video games among the countries of the world, the United Kingdom, with the highest penetration rate in this industry, holds first place. After the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea, Sweden, and Mexico rank next, respectively.
From an economic perspective as well, demand in the United Kingdom for purchasing, downloading, and using video games is higher than in other countries of the world. Forecasts indicate that this country will not lose first place through 2027 either. France, Germany, Italy, and Spain also rank next. But which gaming platform do the world's gamers usually use? Stay with us as we go on to show you precise information about the use of gaming platforms around the world.
Mobile: the best platform for gaming in the view of gamers
According to 2021 statistics, of the three billion people who are audiences of digital games, most use smartphones to play video games. Also, the share of mobile games in the market in 2022 has now reached 49 percent, while the shares of consoles and computers have been 31 and 20 percent, respectively. The statistics, besides showing that mobile use exceeds that of other devices, indicate that the growth rate of using mobile phones for gaming is steeper than that of other platforms. In Iran too, among the three gaming platforms, mobile is by far in the lead. 92 percent of Iranians play on the mobile platform. Of this 92 percent, 87 percent have done so using smartphones and 17 percent also use tablets.
In terms of turnover, the console platform, because of the high price of the devices, is naturally ahead of other gaming platforms. But the turnover of Iran's games industry is indebted to the sale of mobile games. This shows that mobile, both in Iran and in the world, whether for the producer or the consumer and whether in terms of turnover, is the most popular platform. The personal computer ranks next, and the lowest level of use belongs to mobile consoles. The mobile console is a way of playing that is less common. These consoles are usually produced by Nintendo and, by attaching to both sides of a phone, create a small console. In any case, when we speak of the mobile platform, we do not mean the mobile console.
Italy ranks first in the amount of smartphone gaming, and the United Kingdom and France hold second and third place, respectively. Italy also ranks first among the countries of the world in the amount of laptop gaming. China and Germany rank second and third, respectively. Of course, although in this chart the Chinese play less on smartphones, China has such a large population that, in a global view, the most smartphone gaming through 2027 will still belong to China. Just as, essentially, the largest number of gamers in the world are Chinese, but this does not necessarily mean greater Chinese interest in this field; rather, these are the benefits of population.
The smartphone: a money-making gaming platform
The United Kingdom, with 5.6 billion dollars in revenue, has the largest market among the 5 large countries of the European Union. Many users also use these games to earn income. In this area too, the share of earning income through smartphones is greater than that of other gaming platforms. Germany, by earning dollars per player, holds the top rank. Forecasts indicate that by 2027 it will reach 244 dollars per user, in which case it will still hold first place.
The console: a powerful gaming platform
Consoles themselves are divided into two types, handheld and home. Home consoles are exclusive to two products, PlayStation and Xbox, which are made by Sony and Microsoft. Also, the world's most popular handheld console is the console of the Japanese company Nintendo named "Nintendo Switch," which was released in 2017. How each of these is used differs in different parts of the world. In a comparison of Xbox and PlayStation, overall the PlayStation console, despite a higher price, has higher sales. This is the claim of the Ampere Analysis institute, which has examined sales of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S from launch through the end of 2022. Based on these figures, PlayStation 5 sales were 30 million units and Xbox sales were more than 18 million units. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch console is the best-selling console in the United States.
The record holder for console sales is the PlayStation 2, which, up to 21 years after release, with sales of 158 million units worldwide, is the best-selling video game console in video game history. The fourth series of this product is the world's second best-selling console. PlayStation has always been ahead of its rival, Xbox. A trend that, according to statistical forecasts, will continue in the years ahead as well. The best-selling Xbox console is named Xbox 360, which was released in 2005 and sold 85 million units. In Iran, the console platform has the most fans after the mobile platform; such that 25 percent of players play on this platform. Of these, 88 percent of players use a home console and 13 percent of them use a handheld console. Today, one of the most important motives for buying a console is access to its exclusive content. In the table below, we see the level of console use of the four countries of the United States, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Germany:
Online console games
In recent years, and with the growth of internet infrastructure, digital games, like video, entered the realm of online distribution. Online game services freed players from buying physical copies and essentially created a new atmosphere in the world of video games and gaming platforms. An atmosphere in which different consoles publish their exclusive games on their own online platforms, and the player can download them or experience the game in them online.
PlayStation's online platform is named PlayStation Plus, and Xbox's online platform is Xbox Live Gold. These online services also have different statuses in different parts of the world. For example, in China, 100 percent of the video game console market is held by PlayStation Plus. Because access for Microsoft and Nintendo in China is almost limited. In the United States, Xbox Live Gold holds 50 percent and PlayStation Plus 35 percent of the market share. In Iran as well, 58 percent of players play online.
The personal computer, the best gaming platform for entering the world of games
Although PCs rank lower than mobile and consoles in terms of turnover, and the turnover trend of this platform is also declining; personal computers are, for many professional gamers, considered the best means of entering the world of gaming. The PC gaming industry itself fuels other industries such as graphics card manufacturing. Overall, 1 billion and 77 million people around the world play on computers. In Iran as well, the PC ranks third in people's choice for playing. 19 percent of Iranian players play on computers, of whom 59 percent choose to play on a laptop and 48 percent on a personal computer.
The personal computer is the largest video game platform, and a far greater variety of games than console games can be experienced on it. With a personal computer it is possible to stream games, and in the near future the cloud gaming phenomenon will become widespread, and at that time any computer with any hardware will be able to run them; naturally on condition of benefiting from a very high-speed internet. It should be noted that most gamers use all three of these platforms. According to a study, only 8 percent of gamers experience games solely on home consoles. In fact, 92 percent of gamers play on multiple platforms.
Conclusion
In 2021, of the three billion gamers in the world, most use smartphones for gaming. After the smartphone, the console and the personal laptop are used more. In addition, the growth rate of using mobile phones for gaming is steeper than that of other gaming platforms. In Iran too, among the three gaming platforms, mobile is by far in the lead. Gaming phones are the least-used gaming platform among gamers.
Sources
Namaye Baz 1400 (2021/22) report: the most notable data on game media consumption in Iran in 1400 (2021/22)
Statista: Video Games – Market Data Analysis & Forecast Cheats: PC gaming statistics 2022
Machine-translated from Persian by Namafar; the Persian original is authoritative. Read the original in Persian