An ecosystem in fast evolution. An economic analysis of videogames

This article, as well as that of Giuditta De Prato in this issue, is basedon the results of the study «Born digital/Grown digital. Assessing the futurecompetitiveness of the EU video games software industry» producedby JRC-IPTS (one of the seven research centres of EC Joint ResearchCentre). The study - part of a series of researches by JRC-IPTS on behalfof the European Commission (DG Enterprises and Industry) - analyses thevideo games economic weight inside the entertainment and mass media industry(world, regional and segment markets), as well as its dynamics withregard to the software market produced for the different platforms (console,mobile phone, pc) and for the Internet (the online software's increasingweight). The videogames value chain changes are also taken into account,along with the middleware development and the changing roles of producers,publishers, distributors and retailers. The European competitiveness inthis sector is finally considered.