MUMBAI: OTX, a global consumer research and consulting firm has released the first results from its new weekly video game tracking survey, Video GameTraxx.
The research from the initial waves of GameTraxx shows that next generation consoles coming into the marketplace in the coming months will clearly evolve gaming to a new entertainment experience.
But this evolution may bring about changes in consumer behaviour that impacts the entire entertainment industry, including traditional media like movies and DVDs, as the improved game experience attracts more players who spend more of their leisure time involved in game play.
OTX CEO and co-founder Shelly Zalis says, "These new consoles offer nema-like' quality along with an immersive, interactive experience, and consumers are already anticipating that they will make improvements to their home theater experience to maximise the enjoyment
of this new media. The combination of this evolved game experience and an improved home theater experience may create new challenges for media like movies and television that are increasingly battling for gamers' attention and time."
Gamers who said that they planned to purchase the new Xbox 360 console are twice as likely to upgrade to HDTV, purchase a widescreen television, improve their home audio system or purchase a new DVD player. As GameTraxx is a weekly, flexible tracker, subsequent surveys can be adjusted to go into more depth on an important finding like this one, in order to deliver useful, timely data to the industry.
The report adds that consumers expect that more of their entertainment wallet is going to be invested in these new game consoles and titles and on the improved home equipment needed to enjoy them. That creates greater competition for companies that provide other leisure time activities, like going to the movies, watching TV or renting DVDs.
These improvements in the home theater experience in anticipation of the next generation consoles will be significant for other media as well. An OTX survey of moviegoers in October 2005 had showed that consumers said their primary reason for seeing fewer movies in the theater was related to an improved home entertainment experience. Gamers are quickly becoming a key audience for all entertainment companies and advertisers, and OTX's new weekly GameTraxx survey provides ongoing insights into this audience.
In response to the continued evolution of gaming into such a dominant form of entertainment, OTX introduced Video GameTraxx as a weekly tracker to help the gaming and entertainment industries stay on top of trends and understand consumer gaming behaviors on an ongoing basis.
It gives game publishers, platform manufacturers, advertisers and other media and entertainment companies an up-to-date picture of gamers' awareness and purchase/rental intent of upcoming major game releases and products, as well as information about news, advertising, game play and more. GameTraxx surveys gamers across all platforms, console, PC, and handheld, as well as addressing both retail and casual games.