Analysts: games industry to overtake music industry
by Ross Miller 
{ Jun 27th 2007 at 4:53PM }
The report, covering 2007 through 2011, predicts the video game industry will grow globally at an annual rate of 9.1 percent, from $37.5 billion this year to $48.9 billion in 2011. While the analysis speaks well for the games industry, it also highlights the decline in the music industry. As Ars Technica points out, should EMI's sales from their DRM-free iTunes catalog outpaces their losses in CD sales, the rest of the industry could follow suit.
In-game advertising will grow at an enormous rate, according to the report, predicting a jump from $80 million in 2006 to $950 million in 2011.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ihya @ Jun 27th 2007 5:01PM
Excellent picture!
bearattack79 @ Jun 27th 2007 5:01PM
Sign me up.
Crono @ Jun 27th 2007 5:05PM
Thats because music now sucks more than games being awesome.
Yeah, I only read the headline.
Jake @ Jun 27th 2007 5:17PM
That's because music isn't released on special consoles that compete with one another while their fanboys fiercely flame one another and buy even more music just so their company does better.
More in-game advertising. Oh, I can't wait.
"You acquired the Nike Elixir (feather 50pts. for 60 sec)"
Mr Khan @ Jun 27th 2007 5:40PM
Thank god i primarily buy first-party titles
Chances are they won't be plagued with in game ads
I mean, who out there could honestly see just shootin through Super Mario Galaxy, then all of a sudden see "Comcast Cable, It's Comcastic!!" on a big, floating billboard
The high end, first party or first party calibur titles will never be afflicted, unless they are strictly realistic
Oh, and the Music industry is in decline because the RIAA has their collective head stuck up their collective ass. DRM DOES NOT WORK
Darth Nihilus @ Jun 27th 2007 5:46PM
With legendary artists like Fergie and Akon it's hard to imagine the music industry is in trouble. Avril Lavigne is the next Bob Dylan and is ready to change the world.
liqwid @ Jun 27th 2007 6:01PM
Hahaha, Darth. I hope you were kidding.
Aaron @ Jun 27th 2007 6:06PM
Music industry is in trouble because of two things: DRM and the never seen CD price drop.
DRM is killing the on-line purchasing of music since they don't want you to actually "own" what you just plunked your money down. They want to tell you how, when, where, how often, etc. to do with the song or entire album can go to what device. Usually that means not any other device at all.
And then they wonder why more people aren't buying their music. The only place it works is the closed eco systems of Apple to the iPod and Windows to the Zune. Everybody else is @$$ out or resorting to other means.
And the whole record industry got a free pass after the much ballyhooed talk of reducing CD cost overall a few years ago. They made a big stink in the press about lower prices but then never delivered. And NO ONE NOTICED (or at least didn't say anything. But then again we have, by not buying CDs :)
Last time I checked the big box electronic stores for CD prices, they were still in the $14.99 and up range after saying they were going to come down to the $9.99 range.
Justin @ Jun 27th 2007 6:13PM
Music industry: find some good artists! I still buy CD's of great bands like Tool, Nine Inch Nails, Chevelle, shit like that. This other stuff just doesnt cut it. I really hate all of those whiny bands they have now with the long bangs that hang over their left or right eye. No wonder they are in trouble!
ill trooper @ Jun 27th 2007 7:53PM
Games are $50+, CDs are $10-$18. You can download music illegally far more easily than games... So I see this being a factor more than "music sucking now." There has ALWAYS been bad music, and if you think all games are great right now you should look at metacritic.com
On DRM... If games go downloadable, the kind of corny DRM annoyances that haunt legal downloadable music will seem petty compared to what we'll have then - no more taking that new game over to your friend's place to show them, can't play on a non-HDCP television, must be online, etc...
I already had a taste of that when I tried playing Geometry Wars on my 360 when I was offline - it thought I had a demo version even though I bought it at launch... OH YES, I forgot - my 360 had died and I now have a replacement refurb machine. Seems that because my harddrive and my 360 are not the original "pairing" that I had when I bought Geo Wars, Geo Wars will forever think it's a demo version unless it can go online and confirm that I am indeed an owner.
Thanks Microsoft. It's only going to get worse.
Rare Hare @ Jun 27th 2007 7:57PM
"Music industry: find some good artists! I still buy CD's of great bands like Tool, Nine Inch Nails, Chevelle, shit like that."
Justin, I know this may be a little forward but.. I think I love you.
Patrick @ Jun 27th 2007 9:15PM
games overtake music? that humors me, but will never happen
fawazr @ Jun 28th 2007 11:55AM
the music industry is grasping at straws. Between squeezing money out of a single demographic and suing the shit out of college students, the writing is on the wall and the music industry is about to tumble.