Gaming investment: Is this worth considering?

There are many different types of gaming investment, presenting interesting opportunities for both developers and players alike. The industry is undoubtedly on fire at the moment what with the release of mobile apps and gripping online games, but is investing in this sector really something worth considering? Let’s take a closer look.
 
Videogame crowdfunding
If you love nothing more than chasing baddies, battling archenemies in deadly duals, racing cars or getting lost in a first-person shooting game, you may feel passionate about supporting the gaming ecosystem and encouraging new releases. As well as messing around with Ruby, Pygame, HTML and other programming languages, there are other ways you can contribute to the gaming industry – such as checking out videogame crowdfunding websites like Fig.
 
Crowdfunding allows gaming fanatics to invest in up-and-coming releases ensuring developers have enough funds to complete specific projects in the best way possible. Not only does this help fuel game production, but it also gives people a unique insight into game production which in itself could be a great reason to invest. The crowdfunding craze itself actually began back in 2012 when Double Fine asked for $400,000 via a Kickstarter campaign to finish a project and ended up racking in a whopping $3 million in just under a month.
 
Since then, many other videogames have been completed using this unique fundraising method showing how much genuine love there is out there for the gaming industry. Giana Sisters, Twisted Dreams, for instance, also earned $150,000 via Kickstarter resulting in a new platform which sees Giana shift between two different dream dimensions with the push of a button – adding to the overall visual effect of the game. When developers ran out of money to make the fourth release of Elite: Dangerous, loyal fans also responded via a Kickstarter campaign raising over £1.25 million to create the game – receiving a 400-billion star space system to explore in return.
 
Videogame stocks and investments
As well as investing in crowdfunding sites in return for games you really want to play, you can also buy videogame stocks to add to your portfolio. But why? Well it’s fair to say that the gaming industry is thriving and therefore placing your money in the right places could be somewhat rewarding. To make this a little clearer let’s take a look at the figures. In 2015 alone, the computer and video gaming industries in the US reported revenue of $23.5 billion – up 5 per cent from 2014. Moreover, mobile gaming is expected to be a $100 billion global business by the end of 2017, meaning return on investments could be pretty high if you play your cards right.
 
Of course, the nature of investment is risky, but if you follow the trends and stay in the know, you could potentially benefit. Many investors cashed in as a result of the Pokémon Go craze, for instance, so it’s all about being on the ball.
 
Gaming investment can be worth considering, it all depends what you want to get out of it. If you’re really interested in seeing the development of a new game, then crowdfunding could be your best bet. If you want to build your investment portfolio, however, it’s all about watching the market and taking chances as, of course, nothing is guaranteed.