In 1999, those 10 accounted for 47 percent of that number, and in 2000, fueled by the Pokémon phenomenon, that percentage temporarily jumped to 52 percent. Last year, it receded to a more typical 48 percent but still, to translate, that meant the top 10 games were selling about as many units as the next 20 combined. So far this year, the proportion is running at historic highs; through September, the top 10 games represented 56 percent of the top 30 total.
The fact is that among these hundreds of new releases here at the end of 2002, there will emerge just a handful to define the gaming experience for some time to come. For every developer and publisher, mega hits remain the siren song of the industry. Similarly, another trend continues unabated -- great games have great legs.
In August, despite the strong introductions of our Super Mario Sunshine and a raft of popular new football titles, the charts featured a number of long-term successes. Of the top 20 sellers, just six were new; five had arrived at retail between 30 and 90 days earlier, nine of the top 20 (almost half) were anywhere from four to 13 months old. And we should acknowledge one other constant: video games remain a male-dominated pursuit. According to independent research, nine out of every 10 console players are male, although the number of female players for Game Boy Advance does hit 20 percent.
While the key essentials remain constant, let me move to a couple of things that indeed, are changing. The first and most obvious one is the quality and nature of the games. I know I’m not the only one here who remembers when video games were defined by the stirring graphics of Pong and the deep game play of Space Invaders. Today, when an athlete running in a video game can be mistaken for one on a live broadcast, when cartoon characters in games look and move just like they do on Saturday morning, it’s no wonder that our market is expanding to include players with much more demanding tastes. And as they enter the market, they’re seeking a full range of entertainment content.
Among all game sales, the percentage of units carrying mature ratings has gone from about six percent two years ago to over 12 percent last year. Thus far in 2002, among only the top 30 sellers, the number is almost 25 percent.
Players with more money and more mature tastes demand content that is deeper, more visually stimulating and more emotionally involving. And guess what? That kind of content costs more money. I think many of you are aware that the average cost of development for a console game, which once was well below $1 million now has reached several million, and more than one publisher has spent in excess of $10 million to complete a single project. And remember, this is before the first penny of marketing, packaging or distribution is counted.
