Cross-Platform Publishing In The Video Gaming Industry To Enhance User Experience

Companies in the personal computer (PC) games market are launching games which are cross-platform publishing and play, and are making gaming more flexible for users. Cross-platform publishing gives players the ability to play the same video games on different platforms through progress retention. Similarly, cross-platform play is a characteristic of a video game which enables gamers to use different gaming platforms such as console, mobile and PC, to play with each other simultaneously. In many cases, these cross-platform games are restricted within the respective publisher’s platforms. For instance, some games in the role-playing games (RPGs) series such as Monster Hunter are cross-platform games between Nintendo’s various platforms- the 3DS, Wii U, and the Switch.

The increase in cross-platform gaming can be attributed to the development of scripting languages, software libraries, and game engines, allowing PC games companies to efficiently use platform-specific details of the users. For instance, in 2019, Microsoft expanded Xbox Live’s cross-platforms from 400 million to over 2 billion, to include iOS, Android, and Switch. Similarly, Hero Siege – an RPG published by Panic Art Studios which was available for cross-platform play between PC, Mac, mobile and Switch, was extended to include PS4 in 2018. PC based game players are seen to have a competitive advantage over players using a console or a mobile due to additional features in game settings that improves visibility. These additional features in PC based games are expected to drive the demand for PC based video games in the forecast period.

The global PC games market is expected to grow from around $28,733 million in 2019 to $29,029 million in 2023 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 0.26%. The number of people with access to the internet in emerging markets has grown drastically in the past years and is expected to increase further in the forecast period, thus driving the growth of the PC games market. For example, digital gaming marketplaces such as Steam, Green Man Gaming, and GOG.com have increased the use of the internet in the gaming industry. According to GlobalWebIndex’s, more than 1 billion people around the world watched video game tournaments online, and 22% of all internet users commented that they have watched a video game tournament in recent months.

The global PC games market is expected to grow to nearly $29,662 million in 2030. Growth in the forecast period can be attributed to the increasing number of PC gamers, rising disposable incomes, and increasing adoption of PC games, especially in emerging markets such as China and India. Rising internet penetration, and growing popularity of eSports due to increased public coverage and sponsorship proceeds will also drive the demand for PC games going forward. New gaming business models such as the Free2Play model, Freemium, Gamification, and Serious Games – which generate revenues through users’ in-game purchases – are expected to greatly alter the gaming landscape and support the growth of the market.