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Following the news that Game has opened its first eSports and competitive gaming zone at its Manchester Trafford store and the eagerly awaited launch of Pokemon Go, FSP takes a look at the impact gaming is having on our lives and the wider retail industry.
Gaming has been a feature of many people’s everyday lives right from the release of the very first console - The Magnavox Odyssey – in 1972 through the years to the release of consoles from the major video game companies such as Atari, Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft.
Over the years, the consoles have evolved to match the changing needs of the gamer, providing a lucrative business for the likes of Game when consumers want to upgrade their consoles to get the latest release and upgrades. These changing needs have also brought about the evolution of online gaming, mobile gaming apps and virtual reality headsets, a long way away from the very first consoles ever produced, and yet more ways of making money, be it through in-app purchases or an online subscription.
The release of the mobile app Pokemon Go recently has been so well received it has surpassed all expectations from its makers. From the young to the old, Pokemon Go has people running down the road trying to ‘catch them all’, and it’s getting children outside and off of their normal consoles. This could be a good thing.
The gamer is definitely here to stay, and retailers will need to stay one step ahead in order to capitalise on this market. Game could be on to a winner; providing space where people can compete against each other while in a shopping centre environment and adding another leisure dimension to the standard shopping trip. Whether it is a success or not remains to be seen.
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