You might have a favourite publisher; a company that keeps putting out the games that you want to play. In 2011, it seems that that company was Electronic Arts, who had the largest market share among the big-name publishers. Ubisoft, in a briefing to investors, has collated the information from sources such as NPD, GfK Chart Track and Nielsen, detailing each publisher’s market share – and the results aren’t too surprising.
Here’s how it currently stands.
Market share 2012; 2011 values in parenthesis (via Games Industry International)
- Activision 19.5% (15.7%)
- Electronic Arts 18.4% (19.7%)
- Ubisoft 11.2% (8.8%)
- Nintendo 10.8% (12.4%)
- Take-Two 6.4% (4.8%)
- Microsoft 5% (4.8%)
- Sony 3.5% (5.3%)
- THQ 3.3% (4.9%)
- Warner Bros. 3.3% (3.7%)
- Capcom 2.4% (1.2%)
Yes, Activision is now the largest games publisher in the world, with nearly 20% of the current market. EA’s has actually dropped, as has Nintendo’s; with Activision, Take-Two, Ubisoft and Microsoft being the only ones whose market share has increased in the last year. The most surprising thing there, for me anyway, is that Microsoft still has a larger market share than Sony – that’s despite the 360 having very few MS-published exclusives. Take-Two’s is also a little surprising in that they have so few releases – but it shows what an emphasis on quality over quantity does.
Activision’s spot at the top is largely due to Call of Duty, which has been the single biggest selling title for an incredible 7 years in a row. Love or hate COD, but that’s quite an achievement.
Last Updated: May 17, 2013
umar bastra
May 17, 2013 at 09:07
Sorry could not hold it in
Rince an repeat
May 17, 2013 at 09:13
Well played sir!
CODDAMIT
May 17, 2013 at 09:16
Worth a 1000 words
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
May 17, 2013 at 15:12
I think you just nailed it. I’ve suspected for a while now that Activision overtook EA, but to finally see it in print, actually leaves me with a massive frowny face. Granted, both publishers are garbage…
But Activision…. disgusting….
umar bastra
May 17, 2013 at 15:42
Ye, Japan is hardly making it, with Capcom being last.b…b…blehgh! Activision, I guess we will be seeing more of Usher now
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
May 17, 2013 at 15:50
Or Bieber… sigh… don’t forget Bieber…
umar bastra
May 17, 2013 at 16:52
Can I please forget Bieber?
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
May 17, 2013 at 15:50
Or Bieber… sigh… don’t forget Bieber…
Trevor Davies
May 17, 2013 at 09:11
What I like about this is that none of them have clear dominance of the market.
CODDAMIT
May 17, 2013 at 09:19
Agreed.
Rince an repeat
May 17, 2013 at 09:15
I wonder, if the next xBox is going to be catered towards the casual ‘entertainment’ market whether their market share will increase exponentially. I wonder this because if the kids make CoD number 1, then perhaps MORE kids can help Microsoft out. Then (in my universe), we create a Hunger Games situation where you have kids with Pokemon balls VS kids with Camping skills go head to head. I see a movie in the making…
CODDAMIT
May 17, 2013 at 09:16
Activision knows who to market to the masses, much like the ANC does and every year people vote with their wallets, it’s a shame really
Unavengedavo
May 17, 2013 at 09:16
All I can say is…
TechniKyle
May 17, 2013 at 09:21
OMG, HAHAHA, What the hell dude? Thanks for sharing.
CaptainNemo42
May 17, 2013 at 09:31
You’ve never heard of Trololol Guy?!?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRp_dUo5K1c
Lourens Jordaan
May 17, 2013 at 09:45
How does anybody not know the Tololol guy?
CaptainNemo42
May 17, 2013 at 09:48
That’s what I was saying. It’s like the Interwebz National Anthem!
TechniKyle
May 17, 2013 at 09:57
I have never seen that before.
CaptainNemo42
May 17, 2013 at 10:01
Well, better late than never! Go check out Youtube on the guy. The song have been covered on many occasions. Even Darryn’s crush, Susan Boyle has done a cover for it.
Admiral Chief Combat Engineer
May 17, 2013 at 10:09
Trolling Darryn?
OUT
CaptainNemo42
May 17, 2013 at 10:11
It’s not trolling if it’s the truth.
TechniKyle
May 17, 2013 at 10:00
He looks like a ventriloquist puppet.
TechniKyle
May 17, 2013 at 09:58
I don’t live on the net you know.
Lourens Jordaan
May 17, 2013 at 10:02
BUT ITS THE TROLOLOL GUY! Just joking dude, check out some “Trolling Noobs in Battlefield” videos on youtube and you’ll know this guy like an old family friend.
Admiral Chief Combat Engineer
May 17, 2013 at 09:38
OUT
🙂
Ultimo_Cleric_N7
May 17, 2013 at 09:45
Is that Thor’s second name. WOuld be appropriate I think.
Admiral Chief Combat Engineer
May 17, 2013 at 09:46
Thor Odinson, but ya, this could be Thor OUT-I-Say.
Well spotted UCN7
Unavengedavo
May 17, 2013 at 09:58
How can I be out if I only started playing today? 😛
CODDAMIT
May 17, 2013 at 09:19
Also if I tally up the market share I support I get 44% excluding MS and Nintendo which is too bad. And that beats the 19.5% into the ground.
FoxOneZA - X-Therminator
May 17, 2013 at 09:34
Sony an d their exclusives are over-rated. I expect to see more exclusive content from Sony rather than more exclusives next gen.
Oh, and MS is happily selling their Classics range between R99-R199 whereas Sony’s Platinum titles sell from R149-R300.
CODDAMIT
May 17, 2013 at 09:37
What are you doing with your other hand? Clearly you are typing with one.
*and
*overrated
PS+ gives at least two free AAA games every month for R480 a year.
FoxOneZA - X-Therminator
May 17, 2013 at 09:42
Thanks for taking the time to read the post.
PSN+ is fine for those that have the bandwith and time to spare. That makes me wonder why PSN+ hasn’t put Sony higher up.
CaptainNemo42
May 17, 2013 at 09:46
I love PSN+, but yes. It’s a hard sell for friends who don’t have uncapped internet. Hitman Absolution was a whopping 17Gb download. You can’t even put that one game on the super slim 12Gb PS3. 😐
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
May 17, 2013 at 09:49
Wow. Activision right on top. I’m a little bit surprised though. Activision has a much smaller IP pool than EA. Thought EA would win simply due to the sheer number of titles they have?
CaptainNemo42
May 17, 2013 at 10:05
Just shows you the power of the cod.
Jim Lenoir (Banana Jim)
May 17, 2013 at 15:14
Never underestimate its fishy taste… COD!
Yolanda Green
May 17, 2013 at 10:08
Geoff, you are the master of header images XD
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
May 17, 2013 at 10:17
Only coz you aren’t around to show him how it’s really done 🙂
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
May 17, 2013 at 10:21
PFFFFFFFFFT!
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
May 17, 2013 at 10:34
😛
DBL_ZA
May 17, 2013 at 11:43
This must be the best header I’ve seen this year XD XD XD
Aussious
May 17, 2013 at 11:52
Hmmm THQ hey, that is curious to say the least…