Gaming Industry: Mobile Fruition and F2P Masterminds $100B Games Market

A topical report by Juniper Research says that revenues from global digital games market are set to break the barrier of $100 billion by the end the year and is expected to reach at $132 billion by 2019.

The research company cites that mobile fruition and F2P (Free to Play) masterminds the irresistible global games market tumor; branding five mobile games publishers with (key games) fueling the outgrowth:

1. Supercell (Clash Royale)

2. King (Candy Crush Saga)

3. MZ/Machine Zone (Mobile Strike)

4. Niantic (Pokémon Go)

5. MiniClip (8 Ball Pool)

Previously SuperData and Newzoo also forecasted the global digital games market to hit $91 billion in 2016. SuperData in its Market Brief – Year in Review 2016 said that interactive entertainment generated $91 billion in revenues in 2016.

1. Mobile ($40.8 billion),
2. PC ($35.8 billion),
3. Console ($6.6 billion),
4. Gaming Video ($4.4 billion),
5. VR ($2.7 billion),
6. eSports ($0.9 billion)

The study also underscores the Asia’s hegemony in Free-to-Play (F2P) PC games market with revenue of $18.6 billion in 2016 and forecasts the market to reach at $21.3 billion by 2019. In F2P PC Games segment, the following were the top-5 games by revenue for January 2016 – November 2016:

1. League of Legends ($1.7 billion),
2. Dungeon Fighter Challenge ($1.1 billion),
3. CrossFire ($1.1 billion),
4. World of Tanks ($0.40 billion),
5. DOTA-2 ($0.28 billion)

New Study Reveals Global Games Market has already Hit $100 billion Mark

Newzoo has updated its estimates for Global Games Market which imparts that Top 100-Countries by Game Revenues - 2016 has already bolstered to near $100 billion, $99.6 billion to be precise at YoY growth of 8.5%. Just three countries (China, United States, and Japan) contributed $60.2 billion with a predominant market share of 60.6%:

Average internet-user revenue generation by country for 2016 was:

1. Japan ($104.4)
2. United States (93.5)
3. South Korea ($87.9)
4. Luxembourg ($76.7)
5. United Kingdom ($65.0)
6. Singapore ($672.1)
7. Ireland ($57.5)
8. Norway ($57.4)
9. Australia ($57.4)
10. Germany ($56.9)

China, the leader in global games market – 2016 is ranked 27th in this category with an average of merely $32.5; even below than Hong Kong ($34.6), Taiwan ($44.4), Qatar ($51.0), and Macao ($56.6).

All-Time Best Selling Games by Revenue

fandom lists all-time highest-grossing games by revenue across platforms; including arcades, consoles, computers, mobiles, and online transactions:

1.  World of Warcraft (2004 – 2015); Activision Blizzard; $9.27 billion
2.  CrossFire (2007 – 2015); Smilegate; $7.13 billion
3.  Street Fighter II (1991 – 2008); Capcom; $6.15 billion
4.  Wii Sports (2006 – 2012) ; Nintendo;$5.19 billion
5.  Lineage (1998 – 2016); NCsoft; $4.75 billion
6.  Monster Strike (2013 – 2016); Mixi; $4.53 billion
7.  Pac-Man (1980 – 2012); Namco; $4.47 billion
8.  Wii Fit (2007 – 2013); Nintendo; $4.43 billion
9.  Dungeon Fighter Online (2005 – 2015); Neople; $4.37 billion
10. Puzzle & Dragons (2012 – 2015); GungHo Online Entertainment; $3.85 billion
11. Space Invaders (1978 – 1982); Taito; $3.85 billion
12. Fantasy Westward Journey (2001 – 2015); NetEase; $3.69 billion
13. League of Legends (2009 – 2015); Riot Games; $3.59 billion
14. Candy Crush Saga (2012 – 2015); King; $3.05 billion
15. Wii Sports Resort (2009 – 2013); $2.84 billion

Global Mobile Games Market – 2016

“Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: The 2016 Mobile Games Market”, a report released earlier this month, believes that the mobile games market propelled a revenue of $40.6 billion in 2016; over 60% of the global mobile games market.

The report covers the combined mobile, mobile VR, and VR markets and is produced jointly by SuperData and Unity Technologies. “Mobile games earned the equivalent of all box office sales in 2016.”

“After blockbusters Unity titles like Super Mario Run and Pokémon Go, the mobile market grew 18% in 2016 year over year and accounted for half of the entire digital games market.” “It is also attracting big players live Activision Blizzard’s $5.9B deal to buy King and Tencent’s $8.6B payout for Supercell.”

The analysis suggests Asia as the largest mobile games market in the world that produced $24.8 billion of revenue in 2016; 359% of North America’s $6.9 billion and 435% of Europe’s $5.7 billion. China, Japan, and Korea are the three Asian countries, spent the most to make in-game purchases and led Asia to lead globally.

Clash Royale vs. Pokémon Go

Supercell’s Clash Royale and Pokémon Go by Nintendo also drove robust growth in mobile games market for 2016. Finnish company Supercell is the maker of mega-hit mobile game, Clash of Clans and Clash Royale, and is owned in majority by China’s Tencent Holdings who bought most of its shares last year for $10 billion.

Ilkka Paananen, CEO and co-founder of Supercell, gave financial highlights for the year to Reuters that the company’s sales remained flat at $2.3 billion in 2016, challenged by Nintendo’s Pokémon Go. However earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) hilled to $967 million in 2016 from $848 million in 2015.

Released on March 2, 2016 worldwide, Supercell’s Clash Royale bred eye-watering gross revenue of $1 billion within first year (11-months) of its launch, says Sensor Tower. “In its first 11 months of availability, Clash Royale has grossed approximately five times as much as Clash of Clans did during the same length of time.”

Nintendo’s Pokémon Go after its release on July 6, 2016 in the United States, on the other hand, also produced revenue of over $1 billion dollar just in seven months. By comparison, Clash Royale realized revenue of only $550 million worldwide for the same period, estimated by Store Intelligence.

Time for Husain Haqqani to Serve His Country, the United States!

By: Azhar Azam

In a research paper for Hudson Institute “A New U.S. Approach to Pakistan: Enforcing Aid Conditions without Cutting Ties”, Husain Haqqani (and Lisa Curtis) urged Trump administration “to review its policies toward Pakistan” on terrorism.

Obsequious Husain Haqqani, abruptly moves from Obama to Trump’s camp, is perhaps oblivious that Trump has already given his roadmap from economy to foreign policy including Pakistan. And by the way, why should he adhere to a “deceptive think-tank” and not the U.S. people and promises he rode on to White House, so does his advice mean anything for Trump on U.S. national interests?

Slurring Pakistan army, putative safe havens in Pakistan and obliging Indian interests are some of the trade mark opinions of each and every bias of his on the region.

“Pakistani military leaders also continue to support terrorist groups that attack India in an effort to keep it off balance and to draw international mediation into the dispute with India over Kashmir. Pakistan’s seemingly unconstrained expansion of its nuclear arsenal, particularly the development of tactical nuclear weapons and extended–range missile systems, also remains a cause for concern, especially with regard to India.”

This has never been a view of neither the Trump nor his predecessors on Kashmir. The international community not only admires Pakistan military efforts on containing terrorism but also comprehends it for supporting political and diplomatic solution of Kashmir dispute.

Kashmir freedom movement is absolutely indigenous and every other day, hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris come out to protest against stark human rights violations that killed tens of thousands, raped enormous women, and injured many callously. But the dramatist has never penned a single word on these intimidating Indian atrocities.

Also, Indian army has bolstered security, thoroughly sealed borders with Pakistan and installed latest technological surveillance equipment to control any potential infiltration. So it is impossible for any kind of cross-border intrusion, confirmed by various international observers visited the whereabouts with Pakistan military.

Pakistan is a sovereign country and has all the rights to keep deterrence to counter any Indian or anyone else’s adventure or hostility. India’s Cold Star Doctrine is yet another proof of Indian ambitions to emasculate Pakistan. It can certainly not compromise on its nuclear weapons or missile program just as America, Russia, China, India, Israel, India, and many other countries. Forget Pakistan military, the people of Pakistan will not allow any sort of roll-back on their & their motherland’s security.

U.S. economic and military cooperation with Pakistan is now history and whatever it did, was to achieve its strategic objectives and security of troops in Afghanistan. And Pakistan has retuned many times back to the U.S. of what it has received. There is a strong perception in Pakistan that the U.S. has always betrayed Pakistan after realizing its goals thus such aids have only prevented Pakistan to grow independently.

Pakistan is much capable to protect its economic, military and security interests without the United States and the last one-year or so, it has demonstrated the capability to self-reliantly grow across all areas. Economy stabilizing, terrorist activities declining substantially and social awareness inflating are some of the paradigms building a peaceful, growing Pakistan; accredited by world’s credible institutions such as The Economist, The Wall Street Journalist, and Bloomberg freshly.

“At the same time, the Trump Administration should be clear in all forums that the U.S. issue is not with the Pakistani people or the Pakistani nation. Rather, Washington takes strong exception to specific policy choices by parts of the Pakistan Government – chiefly, the military and intelligence apparatus centered in Rawalpindi, adjacent to the capital, Islamabad – that support the existence and activities of terrorist proxies. Accordingly, the Trump administration should both publicly and privately maintain avenues for Pakistan to become a U.S. ally, as well as trade and investment partner, in the future, should its leaders embrace the conduct and policies of an ally.”

“Rent-a-Story Author” continuously fails to understand that Pakistan people or Pakistan nation and Pakistan military are on the same page; against all odds and beyond any skepticism. Pakistan military drives force from people of Pakistan who have nurtured this formidable army to shield them and their country. Any attempt to weaken the Pakistan military inexorably will be considered an effort to stifle Pakistan and its people. This “treachery product” might be bought by someone like you but not by the Pakistanis. We forthrightly decline any “bait” of trade and investment opportunity at the cost of our pride, Pakistan army.

“Moving forward, the Trump administration must link U.S. policies toward Pakistan directly to U.S. objectives, especially in Afghanistan. The U.S. must find ways to limit Pakistan’s ability to frustrate U.S. goals in Afghanistan. Likewise, the U.S. must refuse to get involved in the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir and instead focus on diplomatically isolating Pakistan over its continued support to terrorist groups that attack India and have connections to international terrorism. The U.S. should encourage both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and pursue measures normalizing their relationship.”

Haqqani network operating in the United States is ignorant of the fact that the U.S. has already withdrawn most of the troops from Afghanistan; underlines it must have achieved most of its objectives, if not all. Otherwise why did the U.S. reduced troops strength in Afghanistan from 100,000 to 5,500 or?

And why he doubts the Trump’s intent not to link U.S. policies linked to U.S. objectives? Conceivably, he is hinting toward Indian, not U.S. interests in Afghanistan, which he elaborates in the very next streak that “the U.S. must refuse to get involved in the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir”.

In policy recommendations, “Mr. Intellectual” solicits Trump government that Pakistan is not a U.S. ally. “It has engaged in supporting Afghan Taliban, who have killed American troops and their allies in Afghanistan”. Again, he overlooks a number of negotiations between Afghan government and Afghan Taliban arranged and facilitated by the U.S. in Doha or elsewhere during Obama term. Did he indirectly accusing Obama for the killings of the U.S. troops in Afghanistan by Afghan Taliban?

Further, the research paper recommends to “work through diplomacy with other countries especially China and Gulf Arab states that share U.S. concern about Pakistan’s tolerance of terrorists organizations and individuals”.

So, Haqqani is pursuing Trump to utterly revert his aggressive foreign policy that takes China head on just to check Pakistan over purported terrorists organizations and individuals only he could see thousands miles away.

CIA must deliver Husain Haqqani to ISI so that Pakistan could locate Ayman Al-Zawahiri with his help and hand al-Zawahrihi to U.S. “to deliver justice”.

Time for Husain Haqqani to serve his country, the United States!

Exposing Hudson Institute

According to Silverstein, ”The Hudson Institute, founded by Herman “Thinking the Unthinkable” Kahn and peopled by the hottest names in neocon-dom…is heavily funding two Israeli extremists groups which are targeting Israeli higher education by demanding the firing of “left-wing” professors considered hostile to Zionism””. “The institute is providing $500,000 to Institute of Zionist Strategies (IZS).”

Media Bias/Fact Check categorizes Hudson Institute “Right Bias”. “These media sources are highly biased toward conservative causes. They utilize strongly loaded words, publish misleading reports, and omit reporting of information that may damage conservative cause. Sources in this category may be highly untrustworthy.”

Act Up also exposed the right-wing agenda of the Hudson Institute and lists the “Hudson Institute’s key funders which includes some of the most extreme right-wing foundations in the United States and host of enormous multinational corporations”.

“The Hudson Institute and its ilk are more dangerous than HIV itself” – Gregg Gonsalves

A few other illustrations can be cited at DESMOG, Secretive donors gave US climate denial groups $125m over three years, and Is Notorious Islamophobic Think Tank Inspiring More Far-Right Terrorism?