The Real PC Gaming Market

[The first in a series on PC gaming helping IT resellers improve their businesses]

The market for PC gaming machines. Isn't it dominated by hard-core gamers building their own PCs?

Isn't it full of super gamers who know as much as – even more than – you do about building PCs?

Isn't it a market you can only serve by selling components? Components those gamers can get online cheaper than you can buy.

Well sure, super gamers exist. But they don't take up anywhere near as much of the market as you think.

Performance systems

Gaming PCs come in all shapes and sizes. The combinations of components, monitors are peripherals are too many to remember. That's why we've developed our In Store PC Builder – to help you create builds you can trust to work. But this isn't the point.

The market for gaming PCs isn't about PCs, it's about gamers. Selling gaming PCs isn't about PCs, it's all about gamers. And while there may be 000's of possible builds out there, gamers come in two types. Those that want to play games, and those that want to build PCs too.

Enthusiast systems

As Tech Adviser said this very month the desktop PC still reigns supreme. Consoles don't match the graphics power of the latest gaming machines. This is key because what gamers really care about is how well the PC can play the game. This is why they're so ready to talk tech specs. They're savvy about tech because it matters when playing the game. The only thing that matters is the gaming experience.

But because they know this stuff – or at least seem to - doesn't mean they want to build their own. The time? The risk? If you're spending ￡1,500 on a computer, which would you want? One that works or a pile of parts that should? Be in no doubt there are far more people passionate about playing games than ones wanting to build PCs.

VR-Ready systems

Many of you complain about footfall. That not enough customers come into your shops. The question is, why? You can't blame Amazon or PC World. Can't blame it on your shop not being on a high-street. You have to look closer to home.

The answer is people don't visit because they don't have good reason. They don't visit because there's nothing exciting or enticing to attract them. So many shops we visit have dead screens in the windows and dead products inside stocking the shelves.

Nothing to tempt, intrigue, draw and attract.

Yet with a couple of screens running games the situation is transformed. Add a facility inside to play them and things get even better. People passing start thinking "what's going on in there?" Stop thinking offering gaming builds means you have to sell them. Start thinking how they give loads of people reason to visit.

GAMETECH

This is the first post in a series about PC gaming. I'm writing it because we're picking up on rumours about PC gaming that are at best misinformed. Customers are telling us chasing PC gaming sales is folly – super gamers are too tough a sell. But whether they are or not completely misses the point. Super gamers are a fraction of the market. More, selling gaming PCs is about the means as much as the end.

As you can see, we're clear and have a distinct point of view. Perhaps you agree, perhaps not, perhaps you don't know. Whichever's you one thing's for sure, this series is going to set out what we know and why. So stick around and listen to what we say. Comment, debate, let us know what you think. And if you'd like to talk face-to-face you can: join us for GAMETECH January 12th, 2018.