DFC Intelligence today released a report that forecasts the market for English language client-based free-to-play (F2P) games on the PC  as:

• $250 million in 2009
• $2 billion by 2015

Other interesting data points includes:

• By the end of 2010, it is expected that English language client based F2P games will have a combined total of 128 million registered users
• 8 of the top 12 cities in terms of internet connection speed, are in Korea

VGMarket and PlaySpan, released their 2010 Digital Goods Report on Wednesday. The report reveals consumer behavior patterns among existing customers of third-party and first-party online game marketplaces.

The median spent on digital goods in 2009 was:

• $50 per year for Social Networks
• $40 per year for MMOs
• $40 per year for Casual Games
• $40 per year for Free to Play Games
• $37 per year for PC Games with Online Play
• $20 per year for Console Games with Online Play

Other key points include:

• 32% of respondents made purchases within social networks
• Males are playing significantly more games and are the primary drivers of total digital goods sales
• North American women 25 and older are spending disproportionately large sums of money on digital goods
• The average female spent $55 dollars on Social Network games compared to $30 for males

According to NPD, new retail game sales were $10.5 billion in 2009. If you add used video games, rentals, subscriptions, digital game downloads, DLC, and mobile games, there is an additional $4.5 – $4.75 billion in sales.

DFC Intelligence today announced the release of a series of new reports with comprehensive forecasts on the video game and interactive entertainment industry. These new forecasts provide an overview of the global game industry for console, PC, portable and online video games.

• Worldwide revenue for the video game industry is expected to grow from $60.4 billion in 2009 to $70.1 billion in 2015
• Online game revenue for the PC is expected to exceed $20 billion in 2015
• Console online game revenue is expected to nearly quadruple from 2009 to 2015
• DFC forecasts that following a fairly significant decline in 2009, the overall market will actually continue to experience a downturn over the next few years, with most of the predicted growth occurring in the 2013 to 2015 timeframe
• Most of this decline is due to a slowdown in the current console systems from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony
• While PC and online platforms are experiencing substantial growth, the growth in those markets is not expected to be enough to compensate for the slowdown in console platforms

According to an article by CedMagazine.com, Set-top boxes are seeing booming growth:

• 147.8 million set-top boxes will ship worldwide in 2010 (+11.5% over 2009)
• 132.6 million set-top boxes shipped in 2009
• iSuppli predicts 193.9 million units will ship by 2014
• Global IPTV subscribers will increase to more than 123 million units by 2014
• There were approximately 33 million Global IPTV subscribers at the end of 2009 (~30% CAGR)

Engage Digital Media compiled a list of venture capital investments in the Virtual Goods industry in 2009. The report details $1,380,822,000 invested in 87 virtual goods-related companies.

Electronista has an article regarding backlash against netbooks. They talk about PC manufacturers attacking the market to push more notebooks. In the article,  Avian Securities analysts estimate that netbook sales will rise, from 37 million units in 2009 to 47 million units in 2010.

In Avian’s note yesterday they also said there were 140 million notebook computers sold in 2009 and the number is expected to reach 180 million in 2010.

How this related to the games industry is that all of this is good. This is a positive sign for browser-based games as the potential market is increasing and more people have the ability to play wherever they go. As netbooks and notebooks grow in popularity, portability and features, we will continue to see more social games. As cloud computing becomes more prevalent, the content complexity will be able to increase along with gamers’ evolving tastes.

This is a great sign of support for the coming mid-core gaming explosion.

According to a story in Adweek today, a new report by Deloitte estimates that:

• 58% of U.S. households owned a videogame console last year
• 44% of  U.S. households owned a videogame console in 2006

The story also states a significant decline in people that had played a game in the last six months. It would seem they haven’t heard of Farmville or somehow it isn’t being included considering the groups they cite with the greatest declines are the ones that have the greatest number of active social gamers. If the report is console focused, this would make sense since social gaming is creating new gamers, but also cannibalizing the time people have for console and other PC games.

According to a story in Reuters, China’s online game revenue has grown 30.2% over 2008 revenues to $3.97 Billion. The article also estimates that there are:

• 50-60 Million online gamers in China
• This represents almost 20% of the people online in China
• Revenue is expected to double over the next three years

According to the third annual Game Developer Census by Game Developer Research, which covers North American game companies, the games industry employed 44,806 people in 2009. This is an increase of 406 jobs over the 2008 estimate (44,400). Other key points include:

• Canada now employs 12,480 people in the games industry
• In 2008, Canada employed 9,500 people in the games industry
• California has 20,815 developers (46 % of the U.S. total)
• Washington has over 4,500 game industry employees
• Texas has over 2,600 game industry employees
• 8 states (California, Washington, Texas, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Florida, and Maryland) have more than 1,000 working game industry professionals
• Game tools companies, game contracting/services companies, external PR, marketing, legal, and other business services, and liaison or licensing divisions at larger media companies are not included in the census, however Game Developer Research estimates this number at around 18,000 across North America.

The’Game Developer Census 2009‘ has data on more than 700 game development companies in North America and is now available as a paid digital download for $2,495. Any questions about payment, delivery methods, or further licensing of the data can be directed to Game Developer Research at research@gdmag.com.