multiplayer video games

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Multiplayer video games
Video gaming has traditionally been a social experience. Most video games are playable by more than a single player. Multiplayer video games are those that can be played either competitively or cooperatively online, by using multiple input devices, or by hotseating. Tennis for Two, arguably the first video game, was a two-player game as was its successor, PONG. The first commercially available console game system, the Magnavox Odyssey, had two controller inputs. Since that time, most console systems have been shipped with two or four controller inputs. Some had the ability to expand to four or eight inputs with an additional adapter, such as the Multitap. Coin-op games usually featured hotseat play for at least two players. Public business establishments which catered to coin-op game players were frequently known as arcades, and were widely popular during their golden age. Computer games started out with a lower availability of multiplayer options, largely due to technical reasons. Home computers tended to have only a single gaming port (if any) available, and network options were limited. However, with the advent of widespread local area network and online capability, the number of players in modern games can be 32 or higher, sometimes featuring integrated text and/or voice chat. MMOs can offer extremely high numbers of simultaneous players; EVE Online set a record with just under 33,000 players on a single server in 2006.

 Sales
 
A typical retail display (in Geneva, Switzerland) with a large selection of games for several major consolesThe three largest markets for computer and video games are the United States (largest), Japan (2nd largest) and the United Kingdom (3rd) also in that order as the largest producers of video games . Other significant markets include Australia, Canada, Spain, Germany, South Korea, Mexico, France and Italy. Both India and the China are considered emerging markets in the video game industry and sales are expected to rise significantly in the coming years.

Sales of different types of games vary widely between these markets due to local preferences. Japanese consumers avoid computer games and instead buy console games, with a strong preference for games catering to local tastes. In South Korea, computer games are preferred, especially MMORPG games and real-time strategy games; there are over 20,000 PC bang Internet cafes where computer games can be played for an hourly charge.

The NPD Group tracks computer and video game sales in the United States. It reported that as of 2004:

Console and portable software sales: $6.2 billion, up 8% from 2003
Console and portable hardware and accessory sales: $3.7 billion, down 35% from 2003
PC game sales: $1.1 billion, down 15% from 2006
These figures are sales in dollars, not units; unit shipments for each category were higher than the dollar sales numbers indicate, as more software and hardware was sold at reduced prices compared to 2003.

The game and film industries are also becoming increasingly intertwined, with companies like Sony having significant stakes in both. A large number of summer blockbuster films spawn a companion game, often launching at the same time in order to share the marketing costs.