According to a recent survey, over 50% of US-based households own some form of video game console.
As noted by GameIndustry.biz the report comes from the Consumer Technology Association and indicates that 53% of all respondents own a video game console, a 10% increase from last year's survey. Of that total, 41% of those surveyed owned an older generation of video game machine (up to and including an original Xbox 360) while only 26% owned a current-generation console, consisting of either a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X|S.
Moreover, 30% of the residences that did not own a console are planning on purchasing one in the future. 21% of the surveyed group intend to purchase either a PS5 or an Xbox Series X|S, while 15% intend to purchase a PlayStation 4, Xbox One or Nintendo Switch. The survey seemingly did not take into account players on PC.
Given the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, it stands to reason that most households would invest in some form of video game console. With many families stuck inside for extended periods of time, video games proved to be an even more popular medium of entertainment.
Despite the pandemic, both Sony and Microsoft launched next-gen consoles in 2020. At release, the PlayStation 5 ended up breaking console sales record for Sony as it became the best-selling game console in the United States. The console's success wasn't isolated to the USA, as it globally shipped more units than the Xbox Series X. At launch, Microsoft's next-gen console is estimated to have sold between 1.1 million and 1.4 million units worldwide, half of the PlayStation 5 which reportedly sold between 2.1 million and 2.5 million units.
While COVID-19 vaccinations continue to trickle out across the world, the announcement of two more handheld consoles could see further spikes in gaming sales. Nintendo recently unveiled the Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) which includes an updated screen, dock, back stand and not much else. In a bid to compete with the Switch, Valve recently announced its Steam Deck, a handheld PC that lets players take their Steam libraries on the go.
The Nintendo Switch (OLED Model) launches on Oct. 8 2021 and retails for $350. The Steam Deck arrives a little later as the console's first wave of pre-orders are expected to ship in December 2021. The Steam Deck comes in three flavors, a 64GB version that costs $399, a 256GB model for $529 and a chunky 512GB model that retails for $650.
Source: GameIndustry.biz