Remember how we used to hear all the time about PC gaming dying? It's been a while since we've heard that sort of chatter, and for good reason. In case you haven't had a look around lately, PC gaming is thriving. According to a report from analyst firm Jon Peddie Research, the PC gaming hardware market broke $30 billion worldwide for the first time ever in 2016.
JPR looked where the growth is occuring and what types of hardware people are buying the most. The Asia-Pacific region saw the most growth overall, while Western European and North American growth focused on high-end hardware. JPR attributes the increased growth in the Asia-Pacific region to a lack of traction by gaming consoles and "an entrenced PC gaming culture."
High-end gaming hardware brought in the bulk of the profits, pulling in over $13 billion in 2016, while mid-range hardware accounted for $10.6 billion. While entry-level hardware is not a minor market at $6.7 billion, it's clear that demand for the best hardware is high, and JPR says that "the western appetite for PC gaming systems costing thousands of dollars is strong."
JPR notes that more and more of our daily computing needs are being taken care of by our phones, and says that as those needs are met, "the PC is ultimately becoming a power user's tool." More and more PC purchases are thus made with gaming in mind.
JPR also offered some thoughts about the draw of PC gaming to explain its faster-than-expected growth. Analyst Ted Pollak offered up reasons like the quality of the gaming experience offered by high-definition and ultra-high-definition monitors, as well as the often-superior controls thanks to mice and keyboards. Additionally, PC gaming's wide variety of hardware options offer more room for expression and customization than ever before. That's hardly new info for PC gamers, but to the companies that read these reports to decide where to focus their money, this data plays a crucial part in guidance.
We think it may be a while before we see any more of those think-pieces on the death-and-doom of PC gaming.