Do economic downturns trigger an upturn in people playing games?

If there is an economic or political downturn, then there is often a corresponding upswing in other areas.

Financially gold is often sighted as increasing in value during a downtown or upset.

So does anyone monitor the games market and players in real time in a similar manner to the stock market is monitored?

Is there a Steam, Microsoft, Sony, EA, Blizzard player index or even a Unity developer index?

And do games go up when the economy or politics hits a downturn?

 

I think there is a downturn in games as getting the game to play involves spending money.

Because your now jobless in these hard times boredom becomes a problem rather than a luxury. All the employeers have been contacted and the only thing available to do is wait.

Not going to spend my money on something that will not help me, such as game.

Because of being jobless all the unfaithful woman have left their mates.

I know for certain that things like artwork see a dramatic decrease in demand.

 

From what I recall reading, global game revenues fell 6% during 2009.

Updated with citation:
http://www.economist.com/node/15773828

 

Economic downturns usually saw a rise in gaming. People have more time to fill and less money. Gaming is much cheaper per hour than activities that are cut back on such as going to the cinema.

However the financial crash of a few years ago did not see the expected rise. Perhaps the growth in the second hand market meant there was a way to save even more money.

 

Games are a luxury product. Period. Luxury products sell better in upturns, and worse in downturns.

While a jobless person might spend more time playing games, they typically spend less money on games.

 

I think that's ultimately what this thread ignores. You can always play the games you already own.

 

The entertainment industry typically weathers economic shifts fairly well. At least by comparison to other things that affect the industry. Segments will get affected (good and bad) as tech and trends change.

An interesting and somewhat related anecdote:
My first professional graphic design job was right out of school and was at a printer/publisher. At the time, as a printer they had been in business around a 100 years, one of the biggest printers in the US. They were the largest printer of auction catalogs in the nation, and created/published several magazines (I worked mostly on that side). Their main publications were two bi-monthly catalogs, one for trucks/trailers and the other for heavy equipment. (both were about 50 years old). As a business they weathered economic changes very successfully. When the economy was up, ads/sales for trucking and construction equipment soared. When the economy was down, auctions where huge. Very successful and multi-generational business.

Then came the internets. They are no longer in business.

 

Playing games =/= buying games.

There's always the bizillion almost untouched games in everyone's Steam library.

 

Or the opposite. I manage thousands of hours of play time yet only own about a dozen games.

 

I think you'd see electronic games sales decline but board, card, & dice games rise with economic decline. I worked for a place that resells board games and the owner told me that he always has better sales when the economy is worse. He became a millionaire doing it and even has a team of shoppers that travel the country buying collections of old board & card games. That business is in USA.

 

That surprises me. I don't have any contacts selling board games, so I'll take you at your word. Locally board games are considerably more expensive then video games, and I would have guessed follow the same luxury product model.

 

Econimic downturns may have different effects on playing games.

Economic downturns means prices may be high due to inflation of the currency and rising of unemployment. This means people spend less on "luxury" items like expensive champagne or video games.

On the other hand, economic downturn may actually encourage people playing games because they want to "forget about problems for a moment". Meaning that games played is actually higher. At the same time, people play existing games instead of buying new ones.

 

You forget one more thing: piracy. Pirating board game involves too much hassle; pirating PC game on the other hand...

 

True, but I'm not sure how this is directly relevant to the topic.

There is a small print and play culture in board games. But board game piracy is much less significant then video game piracy.

 

What do people do when they don't have money to legally buy game, but still want to play it? That happens a lot during downturns...