Selling NPD: Online Subscriptions Generate $1B Annually...

NPD: Online Subscriptions Generate $1B Annually NPD: Online Subscriptions Generate $1B Annually The NPD Group concluded it’s first ever online game subscription tracking report. The report covered the period beginning October of 2007 through March of 2008. The data encompassed MMO, console and casual titles; collectively they contributed over $1 billion annually to the U.S. gaming industry alone. The NPD Group calculated these results by taking the monthly averages it had estimated from a newly compiled gamer panel for Q4 2007 and Q1 2008, respectively $94.3 million and $80.1 million, and multiplying the average of those two by 12 to get the annualized equivalent. The figures were calculated by utilizing the a monthly average from the gamer panel. The gamer panel reported quarterly earnings in the fourth quarter of 2007 which was $94.3 million, and the earnings reported for the first quarter of 2008 which was $80.1 million. They combined the figures and multiplied the average of those two by 12 to determine the annual total. Anita Frazier from the NPD Group said, “: "Now that NPD can estimate the value of the subscription market, it's clear that there is a sizable chunk of revenue being generated by PC gaming beyond what is reflected in retail sales." Other findings reported were that more than 11 million North American gamers pay for monthly subscriptions to online gaming companies. The report showed a 9% increase from the fourth quarter of 2007 to the first quarter of 2008. The NPD Group also listed its own estimates of the top 5 rankings for MMOs and gaming subscription (largely casual) websites during the Q4 2007 to Q1 2008 period. Listed are the findings of the top 5 game subscriptions in order of revenue generated as follows: