Report

PSA Consumer Electronics: Video Games - A New Era

2021 saw the video game industry delivery unlikely hits, several using new concepts such as NFTs and metaverse tropes. Meanwhile, the latest versions of Call of Duty, Battlefield and eFootball (Pro Evolution Soccer) looked dated and underwhelmed the public. The PS5 kicks off a new era for console gaming but the timing of its release also coincides with a new era for the broader industry. This report discusses those changes and which companies look best placed to benefit.
Underlyings
Activision Blizzard Inc.

Activision Blizzard is a global developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content and services. The company's segments are: Activision Publishing, Inc., which is a global developer and publisher of interactive software products and entertainment content, particularly for the console platform; Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., which is a global developer and publisher of interactive software products and entertainment content, particularly for the personal computers platform; and King Digital Entertainment, which is a global developer and publisher of interactive entertainment content and services, particularly for the mobile platform, including for Google Inc.'s Android and Apple Inc.'s iOS.

Caesars Entertainment Corporation

Caesars Entertainment is a holding company that provides casino-entertainment and hospitality services. The company's facilities include gaming offerings, food and beverage outlets, hotel and convention space, and non-gaming entertainment options. In addition to its brick and mortar assets, the company operates an online gaming business that provides real money games in certain jurisdictions and provides retail sports wagering in certain jurisdictions. The company's consolidated business is composed of five complementary businesses: casino entertainment, food and beverage, rooms and hotel, casino management services, and entertainment and other business operations, including mobile sports betting.

CD Projekt S.A.

CD Projekt is a holding company of the CD PROJEKT Capital Group which conducts its operations in two activity segments: CD PROJEKT RED and GOG.com. CD PROJEKT RED's activities cover the creation and publication of videogames, licensing the associated distribution rights and manufacturing tie-in products which exploit the commercial appeal of brands owned by Co. The activities of GOG Ltd. involve digital distribution of videogames via Co.'s proprietary GOG.com distribution platform, on the basis of contracts signed by GOG Ltd. with producers, IPR holders and external publishers. The platform enables customers to purchase games, remit payment and download game files to their personal devices.

CyberAgent Inc.

CyberAgent is an information technology company. Media segment is engaged in the operation of internet TV station "AbemaTV," free live streaming programs without subscription "FRESH!," blog service "Ameba," matching services "Tapple" and music streaming service "AWA." Game segment offers a variety of games for smartphones such as "GRANBLUE FANTASY." Internet Advertisement segment is engaged in the provision of internet advertising agency services. Investment Development is engaged in the corporate venture capital business, as well as the establishment and operation of investment fund. Others segment is engaged in the operation of smartphone media.

Gree Electric Appliances

Gungho Online Entertainment Inc.

GungHo Online Entertainment is mainly engaged in the planning, development, and operation of online games. Along with its subsidiaries and associated companies, Co. is engaged in the planning, development, operation and distribution of smart phone applications and online computer games, and the sale of console games. Co. is also engaged in the sale of game contents through download service as well as the licensing of self-developed games. Co.'s principal smart phone applications are "Puzzle & Dragons," "Summons Board," "Divine Gate," and "Princess Punt Sweets," and its principal online computer games are "Ragnarok Online" and "Emil Chronicle Online."

Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Ltd

Kingsoft Corp. Ltd.

Kingsoft Corporation is an investment holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Co. is engaged in the research and development of games, and provision of online games, mobile games and casual game services; the research, development and operation of information security software and web browser, provision of information security service across devices, and provision of online advertising services; as well as the research, development and distribution of office application software, provision of cloud storage, cloud computation and dictionary services across devices, and provision of online advertising services.

NCsoft Corporation

NCsoft is engaged in the development and distribution of on-line games, software licensing and other related services. Co.'s products are "Lineage", "Lineage II", "Guild Wars" and "Tabula Rasa". Co.'s games are massively multiplayer online role-playing games that enable players from different countries play together through the Internet.

NetEase Inc. Sponsored ADR

Nintendo Co. Ltd.

Nintendo is mainly engaged in the development, manufacture, and sale of home-use game hardware/software and peripheral equipment as well as software under the name of "Nintendo DS," "Nintendo 3DS," "Game Boy," "Nintendo 64,"" Game Boy Advance," "Wii," "Nintendo GameCube," "Game Boy Color" and "e-Reader (trading card games)." Co.'s principal software trademarks include "Pokemon," "Super Mario Bros.," "The Legend of Zelda," "STARFOX64" and others. Co. also provides online games and repair services. In addition, Co. is involved in the manufacture and sale of Japanese playing cards called "Karuta," playing cards and board games, as well as the management of intellectual property rights.

Sony Corporation

Sony is engaged in the development, design, production, manufacture, offer and sale of various kinds of electronic equipment, instruments and devices for consumer, professional and industrial markets such as network services, game hardware and software, televisions, audio and video recorders and players, still and video cameras, mobile phones, and semiconductors. Co. is engaged in the development, production, manufacture, and distribution of recorded music and the management and licensing of the words and music of songs as well as the production and distribution of animation titles. Co. is also engaged in the production, acquisition and distribution of motion pictures and television.

Square Enix Holdings Co. Ltd.

Square Enix Holdings is a holding company that is mainly engaged in the entertainment industry. Co., through its subsidiaries, operates in four business segments. The Digital Entertainment business is engaged in the design, development, sale, licensed sale and operation of digital entertainment contents focusing on computer games. The Amusement segment is engaged in the operation of amusement facilities, the design, development, manufacture, sale and rental of amusement equipment. The Publishing segment is involved in the publication of comic magazines, books and game related books. The Rights Property segment is involved design, production, sale and grant of secondary works.

Walt Disney Company

Walt Disney is an entertainment company. The company's segments are: Media Networks, which includes domestic cable networks, broadcast television network and domestic television stations, and television production and distribution; Parks, Experiences and Products, which includes theme parks and resorts, and consumer products operations; Studio Entertainment, which includes motion picture production and distribution, music production and distribution, and post-production services; and Direct-to-Consumer and International, which includes international television networks and channels, direct-to-consumer streaming services, and other digital content distribution platforms and services.

Provider
Pelham Smithers Associates Ltd
Pelham Smithers Associates Ltd

Founded in 2009, Pelham Smithers Associates (PSA) provides market intelligence on Asian technology, focusing in particular on Japan. The industries covered by our team of specialists are: consumer electronics, telecomms, pharmaceuticals, internet, electronic parts and materials, automotive technology, retail and capital goods. 

PSA produces both company and sector reports. The focus of PSA’s research is to identify winners and losers as new technologies impact the top and bottom lines of corporations. Critical to our research is the clear explanation of how these new technologies work and how they impact companies and industries. 

The founding partners have worked closely together for twenty years and the team has more than doubled in size since 2012. 

Analysts
Pelham Smithers

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