Unit 1.2. The video game industry

In this chapter, the topics covered include:

1. Introduction to the Video Game Industry: An overview of the industry’s evolution and cultural impact.
2. History and Evolution: Key milestones and technological advancements in gaming.
3. Market Overview: Insights into the global and European video game markets and leading companies.
4. Key Segments: Analysis of console, PC, mobile, esports, and VR/AR gaming sectors.
5. Trends and Developments: Exploration of digital distribution, live service games, cross-platform play, cloud gaming, VR/AR, and inclusivity.
6. User Demographics and Behavioral Trends: Profiles of gaming audiences in Europe and globally.
7. Future Trends and Industry Challenges: Emerging trends and challenges facing the industry​.

Bibliography
Online Articles:
Parkin, Simon. “The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers.” The Guardian, 3 March
2014,
www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/03/the-untold-history-of-japanese-gamedevelopers.
Webster, Andrew. “How Fortnite Became the Biggest Game in the World.” The Verge, 5
July 2018,
www.theverge.com/2018/7/5/17535776/fortnite-battle-royale-mobile-esports-e3-201
8.
Wingfield, Nick, and Brian X. Chen. “Esports Lives Where the Real Money Is:
Sponsorships.” The New York Times, 30 November 2018,
www.nytimes.com/2018/11/30/business/esports-sponsorships.html.
“Global Video Game Industry Revenue Surpasses $180 Billion.” Statista, 2024,
www.statista.com/statistics/246888/value-of-the-global-video-game-market/.
Websites:
Computer History Museum. “History of Video Games.”
www.computerhistory.org/revolution/computer-games/16/112.
Statista. “Video Game Industry Statistics & Facts.”
www.statista.com/topics/868/video-games/.
Game Developers Conference (GDC). “The Evolution of the Video Game Industry.”
gdconf.com/blog/evolution-video-game-industry.
Newzoo. “Esports and the Future of Gaming.”
newzoo.com/insights/articles/esports-and-the-future-of-gaming/.