NPD Group says 78 percent of 'core gamers' purchase used games

[Shawn Knight]

The latest report from NPD Group puts core gamers under the microscope, revealing that roughly 37.5 million people are considered core gamers despite the fact that nearly half play games on a core gaming device. While one may be forgiven to think that the majority of core gamers are made up of a younger demographic, the reality is that the mean age of a core gamer is 30 years old.

Reflecting recent retail sales patterns, 10 percent more core gamers said their spending has decreased now compared to the same time a year ago versus those that are now spending more. As a whole, 88 percent of core gamers said they have purchased new physical games while 78 percent admitted to buying used physical games. 70 percent of respondents in the category said they buy full versions of digital games.

Liam Callahan from NPD Group said digital purchasing among core gamers still has plenty of room to grow. The industry analyst said that while many core gamers indicate they are purchasing full games and digital add-on content frequently, there are still those that have never purchased any type of digital content.

To be classified as a core gamer, respondents had to currently play action, adventure, fighting, flight, massively multi-player, racing, real time strategy, role-playing, shooter or sport games on a PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC or a Mac and spend at least five hours or more per week gaming on any of these qualified devices.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/51861-npd-group-says-78-percent-of-core-gamers-purchase-used-games.html

 

[Tgard]

"while 78 percent admitted to buying used physical games"

Than line struck me as funny as it makes it sound like an inquisition of something. I have bought used games for every system I have owned in the past, but more and more I just wait until the games drop in prices before I buy it new. There are some that my family has to have on day 1, and a couple that I have pre-ordered, but that is getting more and more rare. Hope used games still remain an option though.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

By 'used games' I assume they're referring to the console market. I'm not aware of used games for PC's. I've never bought a used game or downloaded them but I used to pre-order physical copies of titles that I wanted to play. Nowadays I just wait for them to hit bargain basement status before parting with the scratch. I am of course am referring to the PC platform only because I know very little about consoles.

 

[misor]

Lol, I only bought starcraft battlechest when its price became ~20$.
bought diablo 2 battlechest when its price became ~30$.
bought starcraft 2 wol and diablo 3 when their selling price became discounted last year (2012) around thanksgiving.
got a few free steam games.
I'm cheap and never bothered by it.
and I'm not a "core gamer" and have not bought any used games.

 

[Guest]

You used to be able to get used pc games pretty easily from ebay before product keys became required for online content and could only activated and used one time. That just makes me sound old though since that has been happening pretty much since the mid to late 90s.

 

[Guest]

I have purchased the bulk of all of my games(for all consoles I have owned) used in the past. I understand peoples opinions on $60/$40 being too expensive for a new game is relative, but on my income and for most of my friends and family it is simply far too expensive. I get one or two new games at christmas time at full price and with AAA titles such as Skyrim(value for money) and Mass effect(Blockbuster) I will make an exception and buy them full price. Most titles it seems are not worth full price so if I buy them new I wait (like the people above) until they at least half in price (30 bucks/£20) before buying them. However when I enjoy a game that I have brought second hand I buy the DLC and if I want to play it online I buy the online pass. I understand that the games industry is a business but Who made the games industry so big in the first place. Games industry - Ask yourself who put you where you were today? And EA - freemium and micro transactions ARE NOT the future of the games industry. Thankyou!

 

[Guest]

I do the same - with the help of TechSpot's weekend deals of course! There's no way I'm shelling out $50+ when I can get the same thing for ~30 in 2-3 months. Patience is a virtue.

 

[Burty117]

A Core gamer is considered a gamer if they play 5 hours a week? ok I guess but that seems like a small amount of time to me, but I could be wrong.

Anyway I stopped Pre-ordering since Crysis 2 (biggest let down of my life) however, my brother pre-ordered Company of Heroes 2 for me for Christmas, if that is also a let down then I will never accept a pre-order even as a free gift.

I also use techspot's handy weekend deal page as steam, origin, uplay and a few others seem to always have some kind of deal going somewhere.

Only games I have really paid full price for was Timesplitters Future Perfect (ps2), Killzone (original ps2), Orange Box (PC), Borderlands 2 (PC), Battlefield 3 (PC), Gears of War (original Xbox360) and Halo 3 (Xbox 360).

Every other game I own (and on my steam account alone there are over 50) I have got on deal or simply waited until it was a price I felt was reasonable.

I play a good 4 hours of Battlefield 3 every day after work, on the weekends at the moment I'm playing GTA: SA (PC) in anticipation for the new GTA!

 

[Guest]

'Core' gamers would buy used games since they want to play as many games as they can.

 

[Timonius]

You used to be able to get used pc games pretty easily from ebay before product keys became required for online content and could only activated and used one time. That just makes me sound old though since that has been happening pretty much since the mid to late 90s.

Heck, I used to be able to rent PC games before it was 'outlawed'. ;0

 

[Tygerstrike]

I am a core gamer, and I am over 30yrs old. I still buy used games where I can find them. Unfortunatly the Game Crazy we had closed down when Hollywood video closed. Such a shame. Occasionally I will stop at a GameStop store and see if there is anything in their inventory that strikes my fancy. I do buy new games, however I enjoy the fact that if I missed out on a game from last year and I get a good review of it, I will buy it used. Mainly because all the new copies are not for sale. Sometimes used is the only way a game that flopped on launch will get a fan base.

 

[Mbloof]

"core" gamer plays 5hrs a week? Egads - it sound more like a 'casual gamer'.