A new report jointly released by the charity OKRE and trade association UKIE reveals a significant lack of accessible data covering the videogames industry worldwide [1, 2]. The report states that the full impact of the videogames sector is not well understood, both economically and in terms of its social and cultural influence [1, 2]. Currently, decisions about and within the videogames sector rely on a limited and partial view due to the scarcity of comprehensive data [1, 2].
The report highlights that mainstream media coverage often focuses mainly on videogames' revenue, neglecting their cultural relevance and player experience [1, 2]. It points out that the unified and reliable data publicly available about the videogames industry mostly revolves around sales and share prices [1, 2]. This narrow focus leaves many aspects of the industry's influence unmeasured.
To address these gaps, the report proposes a more unified and comprehensive framework for videogames industry-related research [1, 2]. It calls for games companies, academic researchers, and politicians to adopt and implement this framework in order to improve the overall understanding of the sector and inform better decision-making [1, 2].
The report does not provide specific timelines but emphasizes the need for collaboration among stakeholders to make the recommended framework effective.
