View source for PC gaming

{{see also|PC sales figures}}

The '''[[w:c:gaming:Personal computer|personal computer (PC)]] gaming''' industry dates back to the late [[1970s]]. After [[video games]] helped popularize home computers in the 1980s,<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Gqgb946KPfQC&pg=PA155|title=High-tech Society: The Story of the Information Technology Revolution|year=1987|page=155}}</ref> the PC game industry boomed in the 1990s. In 2005, consumers spent $1.4 billion on video games for PCs in 2005, according to research released by analysts NPD Group. Of that, $344 million came from subscriptions to online games and gaming Web sites, according to NPD's estimate.[http://www.physorg.com/news67831276.html] This number has since increased along with the generally growing video game market and with the release of popular PC games such as [[World of Warcraft]] and [[The Sims]]. The worldwide PC-based game market is worth as much as $10.7 billion as of 2008. This number includes retail sales, online revenue, [[digital distribution ]]and relevant ad sales.[http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=19914]

According to Forbes [http://www.forbes.com/sites/jasonevangelho/2014/04/28/as-global-pc-game-revenue-surpasses-consoles-how-long-should-console-makers-keep-fighting/], A many years the PC has become the most lucrative market in the industry, thanks to its unique hardware performance and characteristics. In consequence of this, the PC receives a average 300 new monthly releases, 90% of them is Exclusive titles, while other platforms receive 10-30 Title month to month and Exclusive titles just represent 10% on these platform.

In [[2017]], the worldwide PC game industry generated a global revenue of $33{{nbsp}}billion.<ref name="SuperData">http://strivesponsorship.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/SuperData-2017-year-in-review-digital-games-and-interactive-media.pdf</ref>

==Largest PC gaming markets==
{{See also|Video game industry}}
<onlyinclude>
The largest [[PC]] gaming markets:

#{{flagicon|China}} [[China]] {{ndash}} $13.1{{nbsp}}billion (2016)<ref>https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2017-07-05-chinese-games-market-is-the-worlds-biggest-at-USD25-6bn</ref>
#{{flagicon|United States}} [[United States]] {{ndash}} $5.3{{nbsp}}billion ([[2017]])<ref>https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/xbox-one-x-microsoft-fights-back-booming-console-market/</ref>
#{{flagicon|South Korea}} [[Video games in other countries|South Korea]] {{ndash}} $2.34{{nbsp}}billion (2016)<ref>https://technology.ihs.com/592232/games-market-monitor-korea-pc-online-games-market-2016</ref>
#{{flagicon|Japan}} [[Japan]] {{ndash}} $1.8{{nbsp}}billion (2015)<ref name="gamesindustry">http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-08-02-pc-games-revenue-to-hit-usd42-billion-in-2020-dfc</ref>
#{{flagicon|Germany}} [[Germany]] {{ndash}} $1.4{{nbsp}}billion (2015)<ref name="gamesindustry"/>
#{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[United Kingdom]] {{ndash}} $800{{nbsp}}million (2016)<ref>https://newzoo.com/insights/infographics/the-uk-games-market-2016/</ref>
#{{flagicon|Russia}} [[Video games in other countries|Russia]] {{ndash}} $600{{nbsp}}million (2016)<ref>https://newzoo.com/insights/infographics/russian-games-market-2016/</ref></onlyinclude>

==PC game industry in the United States==
{{see also|NPD sales figures}}
It's important to keep in mind, however, that this NPD data concerns retail data only and does not include sales of digitally downloaded games, micro-transactions, online subscriptions (e.g. World of Warcraft), etc. The NPD Group recently started paying more attention to online revenue, but this data does not include that.
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Game industry
|-
|2008
|$701 million
|-
|2007
|$911 million
|-
|2006
|$970 million
|-
|2005
|$953 million
|-
|2004
|$1.1 billion
|-
|2003
|$1.2 billion
|-
|2002
|$1.4 billion
|-
|2001
|$1.6 billion
|}

==Sales milestones==
{{See also|Steam|PC sales figures}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
!Year
!Title
!Platform(s)
!Sales milestone
!Market
! class="unsortable" |{{Abbr|Ref|Reference(s)}}
|-
|[[1977]]
| rowspan="3" |''[[Wikipedia:Microchess|Microchess]]''
|[[Wikipedia:KIM-1|KIM-1]]
|1,000
|[[USA]]
|<ref name="CHinterview">{{cite web |url=https://www.computerhistory.org/chess/orl-4334404555680/ |title=Oral History of Peter Jennings |publisher=[[wikipedia:Computer History Museum|Computer History Museum]] |date=February 1, 2005 |access-date=July 27, 2023}}</ref>
|-
|[[1978]]
|[[PC sales figures|Computers]]
|40,000
|[[Worldwide]]
|<ref>[[1978]]</ref>
|-
|[[1980]]
|Computers
|50,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name="iw19800121">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lz4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA10 | title=Personal Software Introduces Backgammon & Checkers Programs | work=Intelligent Machines Journal | date=January 21, 1980 | accessdate=January 22, 2015 | pages=10}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="9" |[[1983]]
|''[[Wikipedia:Suspended|Suspended]]''
|Computers
|53,654
| rowspan="2" |Worldwide
| rowspan="2" |<ref name="infocom_sales">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/09/great_scott_infocoms_alltime_s.php |title=Great Scott: Infocom's All-Time Sales Numbers Revealed |date=September 20, 2008 |work=GameSetWatch |publisher=Think Services |accessdate=September 23, 2008 |authorlink=Simon Carless<!-- |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamesetwatch.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fgreat_scott_infocoms_alltime_s.php&date=2008-09-21 |archivedate=September 21, 2008 -->|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924074642/www.gamesetwatch.com/2008/09/great_scott_infocoms_alltime_s.php|archivedate=September 24, 2008}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:Starcross (video game)|Starcross]]''
|Computers
|55,547
|-
|[[Wikipedia:Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken|''Portopia Renzoku Satsujin Jiken'']]
|Computers
|{{sort|0060|60,000}}
|[[Japan]]
|<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DHI3AAAAIAAJ|magazine=潮|title=潮|trans_title=Tide|page=361|language=ja|year=1990|issue=372-374|quote=このゲームは当時、六万本の売り上げを記録し、アドベンチャーゲームのなかでも突出した人気を誇っていた。 (At the time, the game sold 60,000 copies and was one of the most popular adventure games.)}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:Choplifter|Choplifter]]''
|Computers
|{{sort|0060|60,000}}
|Worldwide
|<ref name=":8">{{cite journal|title=Games|journal=[[wikipedia:InfoWorld|InfoWorld]]|date=April 4, 1983|volume=5|issue=14|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8y8EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA4|accessdate=January 26, 2012|page=4}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:Deadline (video game)|Deadline]]''
|Computers
|85,000
| rowspan="2" |Worldwide
| rowspan="2" |<ref name="infocom_sales" />
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:Zork|Zork]]''
|Computers
|144,070
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:Door Door|Door Door]]''
|Computers
|{{sort|0200|200,000}}
|Japan
|<ref name=":10">{{cite web|last=Fujii|first=Daiji|authorlink=|year=2003|url=http://www.e.okayama-u.ac.jp/~dfujii/Option.pdf|title=Entrepreneurial Choices of Strategic Options in Japan's RPG Development|format=PDF|work=|publisher=|accessdate=August 12, 2006|curly=|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081230090342/http://www.e.okayama-u.ac.jp/~dfujii/Option.pdf|archivedate=December 30, 2008|page=13}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:Sokoban|Sokoban]]''
|Computers
|{{sort|0400|400,000}}
|Japan
|<ref name=":5">{{cite journal|title=Made in Japan|journal=InCider|year=1988|volume=6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M2NRAAAAYAAJ|accessdate=January 27, 2012|editor1-first=W.|editor1-last=Green|page=158}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Pac-Man]]''
|Computers
|1,000,000
|USA
|<ref name=":43">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y_RpAAAAMAAJ&q=pac-man+million+copies+pc|title=Handbook of Health Professions Education|last1=McGuire|first1=Christine H.|publisher=[[wikipedia:Jossey-Bass|Jossey-Bass]]|year=1983|quote=It is estimated that 30,000 Pac Man disks have been sold for home computers at $30 each and that there are a million copies in existence.}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[1987]]
|''[[Kung-Fu Master]]''
|Computers
|{{sort|1000|1,000,000}}
|Worldwide
|<ref>https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gamer_Issue_25_1987-04_Argus_Press_GB/page/n15</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:Ghostbusters (1984 video game)|Ghostbusters]]''
|Computers
|{{sort|1000|1,000,000}}
|Worldwide
|<ref name=":76">{{cite web|first=Stephen|last=Advokat|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/111968018/detroit-free-press/|title=Movies hit a smaller screen|newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]]|page=19|date=August 31, 1989|accessdate=October 25, 2022|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="7" |[[1989]]
|''[[wikipedia:Hydlide|Hydlide]]''
|Computers
|1,000,000
|Japan
|<ref name=":7">{{Cite book|title=The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers|first=John|last=Szczepaniak |isbn=9781518655319|location=[[United States]]|oclc=890601504|volume=2|year=2016|pages=38-49 (30)}}</ref><ref name="john">John Szczepaniak, [http://www.kinephanos.ca/2015/history-of-japanese-video-games/ History of Japanese Video Games], ''Kinephanos'', ISSN 1916-985X</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:Thexder|Thexder]]''
|Computers
|1,000,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name="thexder2_cover">{{citation|title=Back Cover|work=[[wikipedia:Fire Hawk: Thexder The Second Contact|Fire Hawk: Thexder The Second Contact]]|publisher=[[wikipedia:Game Arts|Game Arts]] & [[wikipedia:Sierra On-Line|Sierra On-Line]]|year=1990|url=https://www.mobygames.com/game/64/fire-hawk-thexder-the-second-contact/cover/group-1984/cover-81/|accessdate=February 10, 2012}}</ref>
|-
|''[[wikipedia:RoboCop (1988 video game)|RoboCop]]''
|Computers
|{{sort|1000|1,000,000}}
|Worldwide
|<ref name="RG46">{{cite magazine|last=Mellor|first=Robert|url=http://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games80/the-making-of-robocop/|title=The Making Of: RoboCop|magazine=[[Retro Gamer]]|issue=46|publisher=[[Future plc|Future Publishing]]|date=January 2008|pages=62–65|access-date=2018-09-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202002640/http://www.retrogamer.net/retro_games80/the-making-of-robocop/|archive-date=2017-02-02|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:International Karate|International Karate]]''
|Computers
|1,500,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name=":2">{{cite book |last1=Fox |first1=Matt |title=The Video Games Guide: 1,000+ Arcade, Console and Computer Games, 1962-2012, 2d ed. |date=3 January 2013 |publisher=[[wikipedia:McFarland & Company|McFarland & Company]] |isbn=978-0-7864-7257-4 |page=150 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xzMYYrsDaAEC&pg=PA150 |access-date=November 18, 2021 |archive-date=February 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207163134/https://books.google.com/books?id=xzMYYrsDaAEC&pg=PA150 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
|''[[Pac-Man]]''
|Computers
|2,000,000
|USA
|<ref name=":11">[[Pac-Man|''Pac-Man'']]</ref>
|-
|''[[Kung-Fu Master]]''
|Computers
|2,000,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name=":0">''[[Kung-Fu Master]]''</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:Ghostbusters (1984 video game)|Ghostbusters]]''
|Computers
|{{sort|2000|2,000,000}}
|Worldwide
|<ref name=":76" />
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[1991]]
|''[[wikipedia:Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (1985 video game)|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?]]''
|Computers
|2,000,000
|Worldwide
|<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/06/arts/television-the-case-of-the-game-show-ploy.html|title=TELEVISION; The Case of the Game-Show Ploy|last=Rabinovitz|first=Jonathan|date=October 6, 1991|work=The New York Times|access-date=November 25, 2017|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201043126/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/10/06/arts/television-the-case-of-the-game-show-ploy.html|archive-date=December 1, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:The Last Ninja|The Last Ninja]]''
|[[Third generation of video games|Commodore 64]]
|2,000,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last=Rosenberg |first=Adam |title=Ninjas in Games |url=http://www.ugo.com/games/ninjas-in-games-top-11-the-last-ninja |publisher=[[UGO Networks]] |accessdate=December 25, 2011 |date=June 4, 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615193632/http://www.ugo.com/games/ninjas-in-games-top-11-the-last-ninja |archivedate=June 15, 2011 |df= }}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |1995
|''[[wikipedia:Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (1985 video game)|Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?]]''
|Computers
|4,000,000
|Worldwide
|<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vAsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA91|title=That's Edutainment|magazine=[[wikipedia:Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=May 1, 1995|volume=107|issue=19|page=91|issn=0006-2510|publisher=[[wikipedia:Nielsen Business Media|Nielsen Business Media]]|access-date=August 8, 2009|archive-date=February 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207163131/https://books.google.com/books?id=vAsEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA91|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:The Last Ninja|The Last Ninja]]''
|Computers
|4,000,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name="Ninja">{{cite journal |title=Mark Cale interrogation |journal=[[wikipedia:Retro Gamer|Retro Gamer]] |date=October 2005 |issue=18 |pages=56–57 (57) }}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |1997
|[[Wikipedia:Myst|''Myst'']]
|Computers
|4,000,000
|Worldwide
|<ref>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=2VORKwuPT6kC&pg=PA325 https://books.google.com/books?id=2VORKwuPT6kC&pg=PA325]</ref>
|-
|''[[Wikipedia:Last Ninja 2|Last Ninja 2]]''
|Computers
|5,500,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name="Ninja" />
|-
|1999
| rowspan="2" |[[Wikipedia:Myst|''Myst'']]
| rowspan="2" |Computers
|5,500,000
| rowspan="2" |Worldwide
|<ref>[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=i5SuCsRrb4sC&pg=PA131 https://books.google.com/books?id=i5SuCsRrb4sC&pg=PA131]</ref>
|-
|2000
|6,300,000
|<ref name="mostinfluential">{{cite web | url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/most_influential/p14.html | title=The 15 Most Influential Games of All Time; ''Myst'' | author=GameSpot Staff | date=November 7, 2000 | work=[[wikipedia:GameSpot|GameSpot]] | page=14 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all |archivedate=May 25, 2005|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050525124359/gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/most_influential/p14.html}}</ref>
|-
|2002
|[[Wikipedia:The Sims (video game)|''The Sims'']]
|[[PC]]
|6,300,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name="best-selling">{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Trey |date=March 22, 2002 |title=The Sims overtakes Myst |url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/simslivinlarge/news_2857556.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100119043947/http://www.gamespot.com/pc/strategy/simslivinlarge/news_2857556.html |archive-date=January 19, 2010 |access-date=January 13, 2019 |website=[[wikipedia:GameSpot|GameSpot]] |publisher=[[wikipedia:CNET Networks|CNET Networks]]}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="3" |2007
|''[[World of Warcraft]]''
|Computers
|9,000,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name="gamedeveloper">https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/seven-years-of-i-world-of-warcraft-i-</ref>
|-
|[[Wikipedia:The Sims (video game)|''The Sims'']]
|PC
|11,240,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name="guinness-sims">{{Cite book |title=Guinness World Records 2016 Gamer's Edition |publisher=Macmillan |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-910561-13-3 |page=145}}</ref>
|-
|''[[Lineage|Lineage II]]''
|Computers
|14,000,000
|Worldwide
|<ref name=":21">{{Cite book|title=Korea's Online Gaming Empire|last1=Jin|first1=Dal Yong|date=October 2010|publisher=[[wikipedia:MIT Press|MIT Press]]|page=128|isbn=0262288966|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H21v3d-ErXMC&pg=PA128}}</ref>
|-
|2013
| rowspan="2" |''[[Blizzard|Diablo III]]''
| rowspan="2" |Computers
|14,500,000
| rowspan="2" |Worldwide
|<ref name=":15">{{cite web | url=http://us.battle.net/d3/en/blog/9691895 | title=Diablo III's One-Year Anniversary Infographic | publisher=Blizzard Entertainment | date=May 20, 2013 | access-date=May 21, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|2014
|20,000,000
|<ref>{{cite web|access-date=Aug 5, 2014|url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/8/5/5972671/diablo-3-activision-blizzard-pc-sales|title=Diablo 3 tops PC charts with 20 million copies sold|date=August 5, 2014|publisher=[[Blizzard|Activision Blizzard]]|archive-date=October 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201013134028/https://www.polygon.com/2014/8/5/5972671/diablo-3-activision-blizzard-pc-sales|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|[[2017]]
| rowspan="2" |''[[PUBG]]''
| rowspan="2" |PC
|30,000,000
| rowspan="2" |Worldwide
|<ref name="pubg">{{cite news |last1=Makuch |first1=Eddie |title=PUBG Passes 3 Million Concurrent Users On PC |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/pubg-passes-3-million-concurrent-users-on-pc/1100-6455835/ |access-date=January 11, 2019 |work=GameSpot |date=January 2, 2018}}</ref>
|-
|[[2018]]
|50,000,000
|<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20181230154714/steamspy.com/app/578080</ref>
|}

==See also==
*[[Digital distribution]]
*[[Steam]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[[w:c:gaming:Personal computer|Personal computer]] (Encyclopedia Gamia)
*[http://www.dfcint.com/wp/?p=206 In a Fragmented Market PC Games Lead the Way] (Feb 2008)
*[http://www.gamespot.com/news/6203825.html?tag=latestheadlines;title;1 US PC game sales down $210 million in '08]
*[http://www.gamespot.com/news/6185089.html $911M PC game haul puts '07 US total near $19B]
*[http://www.gamespot.com/news/6164433.html PC gaming stops slide in 2006]
*[http://www.gamespot.com/news/6142571.html NPD paints mixed picture of PC gaming in 2005]
*[https://diarywind.com/blog/e/first-japan-made-pc.html 『国産初のパソコン』について考える]
*[https://diarywind.com/blog/categories/%E5%8F%A4%E3%81%84pc%E9%96%A2%E4%BF%82.html 古いPC関係]
*[https://www.8-bits.info 8 Bitters: Old Game SNS]
*{{cite magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017165955/www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-pc-games-21st-century/|url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/top-100-pc-games-21st-century/|title=The Top 100 PC Games of the 21st Century|author=''Edge'' Staff|date=August 25, 2006|magazine=Edge|archive-date=October 17, 2012|url-status=dead}}
*[https://ukieprod.blob.core.windows.net/media/Ukie/Resources/Documents/ELSPA_December_2006_Budget_PC_Genre_report.pdf UK MONTHLY REPORT: BUDGET PC CD-ROM (MONTH 12 YEAR 2006)]
*[https://ukieprod.blob.core.windows.net/media/Ukie/Resources/Documents/UKIE_-_PC_Book_-_2015.pdf UK ANNUAL REPORT: PC (YEAR 2015)]
{{stub}}
[[category:Consoles]]