160
rate

Gamers still not tapping into video playback on next-gen game consoles

June 29, 2007 in News comments 14

A recent study of gaming households conducted by The Diffusion Group, a Texas-based research firm, concludes that North American gamers are still primarly using next-gen game consoles for gaming. In other words, despite the price gamers are paying for the multimedia playback features in consoles like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, few are actually making use of them. Approximately 13 percent of the 2000 US households surveyed by The Diffusion Group that own these consoles admitted to using their consoles for DVD playback and online movie viewing; only 30 percent were even aware of their consoles' media functionality.

"Today's next-generation games consoles such as the Xbox 360 or Sony PS3 are true digital multimedia powerhouses," said Dale Gilliam III, director of primary research and author of the report. "Yet very few of these devices are connected to the Internet and, even though these same platforms may feature a high-definition DVD playback system, very few consumers are using them for non-gaming media applications."

Though the majority (80%) own a console capable of playing DVDs, only 30% stated that they owned a console that it actually enabled DVD playback – a fact that demonstrates how poorly many consumers understand the capabilities of today’s game consoles and a major barrier to persuading consumers to start using these platforms for non-gaming media consumption.
Wolfwood via biz.gamedaily.com »
Favourite this article Add source
| More
Report!
News story attached to:

Comments

Register as a member to subscribe comments.
  • 0
    Supernouva Jun 29, 07
    Further proving a point in an article I posted saying that the PS3 won't have an impact on Blu-ray in the disc format war against HD DVD.
  • 1
    weskraudaon Jun 29, 07
    stop being so ignorant.Blu-ray has to do with gaming.most of the games can only be played on the PS3 because blu-ray gives you disc space.it's like saying DVD is useless on the PS2 because it only plays movies and people won't use a system just for that.
    • -1
      Final Blade Jun 30, 07
      Can anyone say Supernouva Got PWNED lol
  • -1
    bbb7002004* Jun 29, 07
    Supernova is talking about Blueray as a medium for films, not its uses as video game storage. Since people are buying PS3 for the games, and not to watch blueray movies, it has little effect on the movie format war.

    I just wonder how they went about this survey. Do they count those people who have a Xbox360 but no HD DVD drive as having a HD-DVD compatible system? And correct me if I'm wrong, but I seem to remember you needing to buy remote controls and such for DVD playback on Xbox and PS2. Was that necessary, or just convenient, and was it taken into acount in this poll.
    • -1
      Final Blade Jun 30, 07
      You dont need a remote for the ps2. You can use the controller.
      However Blu-ray will win this war cause xbox360 you need to have the HD DVD drive separate. And since its optional i bet most xbox gamers dont even have it. which makes this article pointless like the one supernouva posted. The ps3 has a built in one. Unless your going to pay more for getting the Elite which isnt even Elite.
  • 0
    Shadow of Death Jun 29, 07
    The DVD remote was just convenient...though I think the original X-Box required it? Not the 360, or PS2 though.

    In any case, I make full use of pretty much all the PS3's features (Music, pictures, video downloads, my own added videos, etc), except Blu-Ray Movie/Upscaling, since I don't have a HD TV -_- Gimmie about a year though ^_~

    And Wesk, don't be calling other people ignorant...thats a classic case of the teapot calling the kettle black...
  • 0
    MusiKon Jun 29, 07
    It's not all that surprising. After all, these are video game consoles.
    • -1
      Reenee Jun 29, 07
      quote
      After all, these are video game consoles.
      NO, IT IS A HIGLY. VERSATIL. MULTMEEDEA. ENTER. TAIN. MINT. CENTER.


      PIECE.

      :V
  • 1
    FRoGBuster Jun 29, 07
    I know I will use these multimedia features when I get my ps3. However, there are a lot of kids, like my cousin who are just to young to even understand or to know how to use these features. They don't care about internet connectivity. They just care about beating games. And their parents pay no attention to what their kids are doing or what they're playing with. They just buy stuff for them and go back to work.
    • -1
      Reenee Jun 29, 07
      quote
      They don't care about internet connectivity.
      The HELL they do when they know what they do. It's in your face at the main menu, so they'll surely know about it right away.
      • 0
        Final Blade Jun 30, 07
        The point is it doesn't mean they will use it. Im pretty sure you need to be around a modem. Its more complex than how you make it out to be.
  • 1
    BANDITO ATTACK Jun 30, 07
    "gamers are still primarly using next-gen game consoles for gaming."


    It must be obvious day on Camp NO-SHIT.
    • 0
      Reenee Jun 30, 07
      No, it's more of something that Sony doesn't want to hear.
  • 0
    Sort Jun 30, 07
    quote
    only 30 percent were even aware of their consoles' media functionality.
    I find that extremely hard to believe.

This news story is archived and is closed to comments now.