MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
The Swiss market is one that has remained relatively stable despite the economic pressures Europe faces.
In 2011, the combined unit sales for both software and hardware remained flat compared to the year before, down by only one per cent and still at over 4m units.
However, the weakening Euro and lower average prices caused revenues to decline by 14 per cent year-on-year, down to 296m francs.
As with the UK market, a strong fourth quarter made up for losses in the first three, particularly in the home console space.
Consoles and handhelds make up the bulk of both hardware and software sales, with 2.9m titles and 386,000 devices sold in 2011. PC software sold barely a quarter of the number of console games at just shy of 700,000 units.
In terms of what games are selling, Swiss tastes are very similar to those of the UK, with Call of Duty, Battlefield and FIFA making up the Top Three in the best-selling games of 2011. However, NHL games are more popular in Switzerland than they are here.
Interestingly, Nintendo has a stronger presence in Switzerland’s charts. While the platform holder’s highest position in the UK’s Top 50 2011 was No.24 with Mario Kart Wii, in the Swiss rankings The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword came tenth, followed by 3DS?title Super Mario 3D Land at No.11.
The local games industry is represented by the Swiss Interactive Entertainment Association (SIEA), which has come up with some interesting ways to promote video games.
COMIC CAPERS
Swiss trade body SIEA has come up with a novel way to educate parents about video games and the potential dangers around them.
12-part online comic The Pixel Family shows an ordinary family as they go about their daily lives. It is then followed by warnings about age ratings, why parents should limit how long kids spend playing games and why it’s probably best to keep consoles out of young children’s bedrooms.
Your turn, UKIE.
