Unprecedented success of World of Warcraft (WoW), from Vivendi Universal Games subsidiary, Blizzard Entertainment. Boasting close to 7 million subscribers (each paying roughly 12 USD a month), WoW has become the most widely-played online game in the world - outperforming South Korean rivals - and one of the highest earners. Does this overwhelming popularity herald MMG's transition to the mass market?
Ongoing innovation, with cases in point that include Dofus from French studio, Ankama, enjoying rave reviews from gamers and industry members alike.
Growing popularity of web-based massively multiplayer games, both hosted and not, including Habbo Hotel, Kochon Land, Ogame and Battle Arena - aimed at players without (or no longer) the time to devote themselves fully to complex gaming universes, but who still crave interactive entertainment.
Development of a virtual economy inside the games: Second Life (Linden Lab), Entropia Universe (MindArk), World of Warcraft and most of the major titles all offer features enabling trade within the game itself.

These new trends taking shape in the very specific world of MMG have also become the source of broader explorations in a variety of other areas, where the notion of persistent universe is becoming a central part of development and innovation (mobile services, desktop software, online applications...).

Key questions

Is a global mass market possible? Under what conditions, and on which devices?
What will be the business models of the future?
What role do gamer communities play?
Online game distribution modes: going all digital?
What breakdown between production, operation, publishing and distribution?
Is the public ready for persistent universes?

Who should read this report?

Game producers, publishers and distributors

Assessing the development of MMG
Resituating existing services' growth prospects and competition zone
Understanding the value chain and business models' organisation

Internet companies

Understanding video game specialists' positioning and strategy
Assessing the implications of MMG's increasing popularity

Operators (telcos, media...)

Understanding video game companies' overall strategy
Anticipating repercussions of consumers' increasing usage Analysing partnership possibilities with video game companies

Manufacturers (consumer devices)

Understanding the way use of new platforms and devices is evolving
Keeping track of major developments in the MMG market

Investors and analysts

Analysing the overall state of competition, and for MMG in particular
Evaluating the market's scope and future prospect

1. Introduction

2. Introduction to massively multiplayer games

2.1. MMOG components
2.2. Characteristics of the MMOG offer
- 2.2.1. The MMOG offer
- 2.2.2. The top massively multiplayer online games

3. The MMOG environment and market

3.1. MMOGs' economic environment
- 3.1.1. Increasingly long commercial and user lifecycles
- 3.1.2. Business models: from subscription to item selling
3.2. MMOGs' community environment
- 3.2.1. Community at the heart of the phenomenon
- 3.2.2. Gamer profile
- 3.2.3. Gaming modes
3.3. Market and industry players
- 3.3.1. The MMOG market
- 3.3.2. The players

4. New development trends and future prospects

4.1. Development of an autonomous economic system
4.2. Other trends and growth outlook
4.3. Online gaming's growth outlook

5. Annexes

5.1. NCsoft
- 5.1.1. Vital statistics
- 5.1.2. Company profile
- 5.1.3. Product description
5.2. Vivendi Games
- 5.2.1. Vital statistics
- 5.2.2. Company profile
- 5.2.3. Product description
5.3. Electronic Arts
- 5.3.1. Vital statistics
- 5.3.2. Company profile
- 5.3.3. Product description
5.4. Sony Online
- 5.4.1. Vital statistics
- 5.4.2. Company profile
- 5.4.3. Product description
5.5. CCP games
- 5.5.1. Vital statistics
- 5.5.2. Company profile
- 5.5.3. Product description
5.6. Linden Lab
- 5.6.1. Vital statistics
- 5.6.2. Company profile
- 5.6.3. Product description

Tables

Table 1: The massively multiplayer online game market (million USD)
Table 2: Number of heroic fantasy and science fiction games
Table 3: Top heroic fantasy tames
Table 4: Top science fiction games
Table 5: Top 30 massively multiplayer games, as of 30/06/2006
Table 6: Top MMOG publishers
Table 7: Estimated PC game revenues
Table 8: Estimated massively multiplayer online game revenues
Table 9: Massively multiplayer games' share of the sector's revenues

Figures

Figure 1: Growth of operational massively multiplayer online games (1996-2006)
Figure 2: Breakdown of MMO games by volume of operational titles, mid-2006
Figure 3: Growth of massively multiplayer online game subscriptions
Figure 4: Massively multiplayer games' market share
Figure 5: Growth of active subscriptions per game (+ 120,000 accounts)
Figure 6: Growth of active subscriptions per game (from 70,000 to 700,000 accounts)
Figure 7: Growth of the PC game market
Figure 8: Growth of the massively multiplayer online game market
Figure 9: Growth of massively multiplayer game subscribers
Figure 10: World video game software market