according to the NPD Group’s recently released Expanding the Games Market study, “an increasing number of people see gaming as a viable and fun hobby.†The sample included 5,039 members of the group’s online consumer panel, and most polled said games were a good way to reduce stress and unwind. In fact, 30% are playing more this year than last year!
"The new type of game experiences brought to the market over the past several years are succeeding in reaching a broader audience. The challenge for the industry is that consumers are a fickle group, and with the great variety of options pulling at their limited free time, they're going to be easily distracted unless something really compels them to stay with gaming," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in a statement. "To reach these less-involved consumers, the industry has to work even harder, but doing so can produce great rewards."
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"The new type of game experiences brought to the market over the past several years are succeeding in reaching a broader audience. The challenge for the industry is that consumers are a fickle group, and with the great variety of options pulling at their limited free time, they're going to be easily distracted unless something really compels them to stay with gaming," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in a statement. "To reach these less-involved consumers, the industry has to work even harder, but doing so can produce great rewards."
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