Latest news with #Omdia
The Star
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Roblox's Grow A Garden explodes online video game numbers
More than 21 million players connected to Grow A Garden at the same time on June 21, buying seeds to cultivate a little patch of virtual land, harvesting crops, selling their produce and nicking stuff from other players' plots. — Roblox PARIS: A gardening game created by a teenager on online platform Roblox has attracted a record 21 million simultaneous players, a figure rarely seen in the industry. "You could quite easily never have heard of Grow A Garden ... and yet it is by some measures the biggest video game at the moment," Dom Tait, an analyst with UK firm Omdia, told AFP. More than 21 million players connected to Grow A Garden at the same time on June 21, buying seeds to cultivate a little patch of virtual land, harvesting crops, selling their produce and nicking stuff from other players' plots. That shattered the record held by the adrenalin-packed Fortnite , which attracted 15 million concurrent users (CCUs) during an event in late 2020 featuring characters from the Marvel universe. "It's enormous," Tait said of Grow A Garden 's success. He said it was difficult to say categorically if the sedate farming-themed game had broken all CCU records because other platforms do not necessarily publish numbers for other hugely popular games, such as Honor Of Kings . "(But) I think we can be confident it's a record for Roblox because Roblox has given us these these figures," he said. Roblox, which is popular with children and teenagers, was released in 2005 and is now available on almost all consoles and on mobile phones. It has morphed into an online gaming platform – one of the world's largest – where players can programme their own games and try out other users' creations. Games on the platform are free to play. Roblox makes its money through a range of revenue streams, including in-game purchases, advertising and royalty fees. Created in three days Grow a Garden appeared in late March, developed by a teenager about whom little is known. Game development group Splitting Point Studios soon snapped up a share. The original creator "literally made the game in, like, three days", Splitting Point CEO Janzen Madsen told specialist website Game File. Tait says the success of Grow A Garden , with its simple graphics and basic mechanics, can be explained by its comforting nature. "There's not much danger. There's not much threat. You just sort of go on and do things and just sort of have a gentle experience," he said. He pointed to the satisfaction players derived from seeing their garden evolve, even when they are not connected. A bit like a real garden, only quicker. The concept is reminiscent of Animal Crossing , a simulation of life in a village populated by cute animals that became a soothing refuge for many players during the first Covid lockdowns in 2020. For specialist site Gamediscover, another attraction of Grow A Garden is the ease with which players can get to grips with the game – a bonus for Roblox, which said 40% of the platform's users last year were under 13. Massive audience It is difficult to know exactly how much Grow A Garden has earned for its developers. But Tait said those who created the best paid experiences received "about 70%" of the money spent by gamers "with Roblox taking the rest". Roblox says on its website it paid out US$923 million to developers in 2024. "It is big money. So there's a little bit of nervousness in the industry about, 'Is Roblox taking away the audience that would otherwise have spent hundreds of pounds on a console and bought my console games?'" These sums demonstrate the weight in the video game industry of behemoths like Roblox and Fortnite , which have recently peaked at 350 and 100 million monthly players respectively. "Both places provide a massive audience – as large as any single console platform audience – and they provide awesome opportunities for creators," Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Fortnite publisher Epic Games, told The Game Business website. Beyond its success, Roblox has also come in for criticism. US investment research firm Hindenburg Research published a report in 2024 accusing the platform of inflating its monthly active player count and not sufficiently protecting users from sexual predators. In response, Roblox rejected Hindenburg's "financial claims" as "misleading" and said on its investor relations website it had "a robust set of proactive and preventative safety measures designed to catch and prevent malicious or harmful activity". – AFP
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Omdia Forecasts Flat TV Shipments in 2025, but Mini LED Poised for Explosive Growth at 82.9%
LONDON, June 26, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Omdia's latest 1Q25 TV Sets Forecast reveals TV shipments are expected to remain nearly flat in 2025, totaling 208.7 million units (-0.1% year-on-year). Despite overall modest demand, Mini LED, and extra-large screen sizes are set to grow quickly, driven by retailers and brands focusing on premium features. Omdia's latest TV sets analysis highlights two key regions expected to buck the global trend and deliver shipment growth in 2025: North America – forecasted to hit 49.9 million units (+1.6% year-on-year) thanks to competitive pricing strategies from channel brands, ample inventory, and a diverse range of technologies (LCD, OLED) and features (QD, Mini LED, smart OS). China – forecasted to reach 38.3 million units (+3.2% year-on-year) boosted significantly by ongoing consumer electronics subsidies and rising demand for larger screens. "Although overall shipment growth remains flat, key technologies and larger screen sizes will see significantly higher growth rates. These differentiators will be crucial for both emerging Chinese brands and established players aiming to capture and defend market share," explains Hisakazu Torii, Chief Analyst, TV Sets, Omdia. Top 5 positive YoY unit growth of TV technology, size, and features for 2025: Mini LED: 82.9% 90-inch +: 57.4% QD LCD: 36.0% 80 – 89-inch: 26.5% 75 – 79-inch: 12.3% Despite headwinds from US tariffs, North American shipments are expected to grow due to sufficient inventory built up since last year and aggressive pricing strategies from Chinese and channel brands. Overall shipments in North America will reach 49.9 million units in 2025, a 1.6% year-on-year unit growth. Consumers in this region benefit from a broad range of screen technologies, features, and brands offered at competitive prices. This diversity ensures a stable, accessible market environment, though it could become vulnerable if inventory tightens or prices rise significantly during the year. In China, shipments will reach 38.3 million units in 2025, a YoY growth rate of 3.2%, thanks to consumer electronics (CE) subsidies launched in August last year. While demand for larger screens (75-inch and above) continues to surge at 24.2% YoY, shipments for smaller screens (65-inch and below) are expected to decline 6.0% YoY. Strategic demand pull-in to drive inventory adjustments in Latin America TV shipments in Latin America experienced significant growth starting 4Q24 (15.2% YoY) and continuing into 1Q25 (9.2% YoY), prior to the announcement of US tariffs. The region had already enjoyed positive shipment momentum in the previous two years (2023-2024), supported by favorable currencies, stable inflation rates, strong economies, and lower unemployment rates. "The recent spike in shipments, however, reflects growing concerns regarding potential negative impact of US tariffs. Retailers and brands have strategically accelerated shipments into the Latin America aiming to secure inventory earlier and at lower cost, particularly with the FIFA World Cup 2026 approaching next year," said Torii. In the other regions (excluding North America, China and Latin America), shipments are expected to decline by -1.2% YoY in 2025. These markets lack strong promotional factors (such as major sporting events), face less aggressive pricing strategies, and continue to deal with inflation and currency volatility, and increased costs. ABOUT OMDIA Omdia, part of Informa TechTarget, Inc. (Nasdaq: TTGT), is a technology research and advisory group. Our deep knowledge of tech markets combined with our actionable insights empower organizations to make smart growth decisions. View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Fasiha
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
India's PC market grows 13% in Q1 2025, tablet shipments slide amid market realignment
India's PC market (excluding tablets) recorded 13% year-on-year growth in Q1 2025, reaching 3.3 million units, according to the latest research from Canalys, now part of Omdia. The growth was primarily fuelled by a robust 21% surge in notebook shipments, which hit 2.4 million units, while desktop shipments fell 3%, totaling 9,06,000 units. Notebooks continue to serve as the backbone of India's digital transformation, driven by evolving hybrid work models and rising productivity needs across both consumer and business segments. In contrast, tablet shipments fell sharply, declining 24% year-on-year to 1.03 million units, reflecting a market correction after pandemic-driven highs and delayed institutional demand. Market Outlook Looking ahead, the Indian PC market is expected to grow 6% in 2025, surpassing 15 million units. Tablet shipments, however, are forecasted to contract by 8%. Growth momentum is expected to pick up in 2026, driven by device refresh cycles and increasing demand for AI-ready infrastructure. AI and Premium PCs Gaining Traction AI-capable notebooks saw explosive growth of 253% year-on-year, albeit from a small base, as enterprises and consumers begin embracing AI as a core computing feature. Meanwhile, premium notebooks (priced above $1,000) posted 49% growth, reflecting rising demand for high-performance, multi-purpose devices. 'Enterprises increasingly view AI as a core feature, while consumers are turning to premium PCs for their multi-use value,' said Ashweej Aithal, senior analyst at Canalys.
Int'l Business Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Int'l Business Times
Roblox's Grow A Garden Explodes Online Video Game Numbers
A gardening game created by a teenager on online platform Roblox has attracted a record 21 million simultaneous players, a figure rarely seen in the industry. "You could quite easily never have heard of Grow a Garden... and yet it is by some measures the biggest video game at the moment," Dom Tait, an analyst with UK firm Omdia, told AFP. More than 21 million players connected to Grow a Garden at the same time on June 21, buying seeds to cultivate a little patch of virtual land, harvesting crops, selling their produce and nicking stuff from other players' plots. That shattered the record held by the adrenalin-packed Fortnite, which attracted 15 million concurrent users (CCUs) during an event in late 2020 featuring characters from the Marvel universe. "It's enormous," Tait said of Grow a Garden's success. He said it was difficult to say categorically if the sedate farming-themed game had broken all CCU records because other platforms do not necessarily publish numbers for other hugely popular games, such as Honor of Kings. "(But) I think we can be confident it's a record for Roblox because Roblox has given us these these figures," he said. Roblox, which is popular with children and teenagers, was released in 2005 and is now available on almost all consoles and on mobile phones. It has morphed into an online gaming platform -- one of the world's largest -- where players can programme their own games and try out other users' creations. Games on the platform are free to play. Roblox makes its money through a range of revenue streams, including in-game purchases, advertising and royalty fees. Grow a Garden appeared in late March, developed by a teenager about whom little is known. Game development group Splitting Point Studios soon snapped up a share. The original creator "literally made the game in, like, three days", Splitting Point CEO Janzen Madsen told specialist website Game File. Tait says the success of Grow a Garden, with its simple graphics and basic mechanics, can be explained by its comforting nature. "There's not much danger. There's not much threat. You just sort of go on and do things and just sort of have a gentle experience," he said. He pointed to the satisfaction players derived from seeing their garden evolve, even when they are not connected. A bit like a real garden, only quicker. The concept is reminiscent of Animal Crossing, a simulation of life in a village populated by cute animals that became a soothing refuge for many players during the first Covid lockdowns in 2020. For specialist site Gamediscover, another attraction of Grow a Garden is the ease with which players can get to grips with the game -- a bonus for Roblox, which said 40 percent of the platform's users last year were under 13. It is difficult to know exactly how much Grow a Garden has earned for its developers. But Tait said those who created the best paid experiences received "about 70 percent" of the money spent by gamers "with Roblox taking the rest". Roblox says on its website it paid out $923 million to developers in 2024. "It is big money. So there's a little bit of nervousness in the industry about, 'Is Roblox taking away the audience that would otherwise have spent hundreds of pounds on a console and bought my console games?'" These sums demonstrate the weight in the video game industry of behemoths like Roblox and Fortnite, which have recently peaked at 350 and 100 million monthly players respectively. "Both places provide a massive audience -- as large as any single console platform audience -- and they provide awesome opportunities for creators," Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Fortnite publisher Epic Games, told The Game Business website. Beyond its success, Roblox has also come in for criticism. US investment research firm Hindenburg Research published a report in 2024 accusing the platform of inflating its monthly active player count and not sufficiently protecting users from sexual predators. In response, Roblox rejected Hindenburg's "financial claims" as "misleading" and said on its investor relations website it had "a robust set of proactive and preventative safety measures designed to catch and prevent malicious or harmful activity".
France 24
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- France 24
Roblox's Grow a Garden explodes online video game numbers
"You could quite easily never have heard of Grow a Garden... and yet it is by some measures the biggest video game at the moment," Dom Tait, an analyst with UK firm Omdia, told AFP. More than 21 million players connected to Grow a Garden at the same time on June 21, buying seeds to cultivate a little patch of virtual land, harvesting crops, selling their produce and nicking stuff from other players' plots. That shattered the record held by the adrenalin-packed Fortnite, which attracted 15 million concurrent users (CCUs) during an event in late 2020 featuring characters from the Marvel universe. "It's enormous," Tait said of Grow a Garden's success. He said it was difficult to say categorically if the sedate farming-themed game had broken all CCU records because other platforms do not necessarily publish numbers for other hugely popular games, such as Honor of Kings. "(But) I think we can be confident it's a record for Roblox because Roblox has given us these these figures," he said. Roblox, which is popular with children and teenagers, was released in 2005 and is now available on almost all consoles and on mobile phones. It has morphed into an online gaming platform -- one of the world's largest -- where players can programme their own games and try out other users' creations. Games on the platform are free to play. Roblox makes its money through a range of revenue streams, including in-game purchases, advertising and royalty fees. - Created in three days - Grow a Garden appeared in late March, developed by a teenager about whom little is known. Game development group Splitting Point Studios soon snapped up a share. The original creator "literally made the game in, like, three days", Splitting Point CEO Janzen Madsen told specialist website Game File. Tait says the success of Grow a Garden, with its simple graphics and basic mechanics, can be explained by its comforting nature. "There's not much danger. There's not much threat. You just sort of go on and do things and just sort of have a gentle experience," he said. He pointed to the satisfaction players derived from seeing their garden evolve, even when they are not connected. A bit like a real garden, only quicker. The concept is reminiscent of Animal Crossing, a simulation of life in a village populated by cute animals that became a soothing refuge for many players during the first Covid lockdowns in 2020. For specialist site Gamediscover, another attraction of Grow a Garden is the ease with which players can get to grips with the game -- a bonus for Roblox, which said 40 percent of the platform's users last year were under 13. - Massive audience - It is difficult to know exactly how much Grow a Garden has earned for its developers. But Tait said those who created the best paid experiences received "about 70 percent" of the money spent by gamers "with Roblox taking the rest". Roblox says on its website it paid out $923 million to developers in 2024. "It is big money. So there's a little bit of nervousness in the industry about, 'Is Roblox taking away the audience that would otherwise have spent hundreds of pounds on a console and bought my console games?'" These sums demonstrate the weight in the video game industry of behemoths like Roblox and Fortnite, which have recently peaked at 350 and 100 million monthly players respectively. "Both places provide a massive audience -- as large as any single console platform audience -- and they provide awesome opportunities for creators," Tim Sweeney, the CEO of Fortnite publisher Epic Games, told The Game Business website. Beyond its success, Roblox has also come in for criticism. US investment research firm Hindenburg Research published a report in 2024 accusing the platform of inflating its monthly active player count and not sufficiently protecting users from sexual predators. In response, Roblox rejected Hindenburg's "financial claims" as "misleading" and said on its investor relations website it had "a robust set of proactive and preventative safety measures designed to catch and prevent malicious or harmful activity".
