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> Piers Harding-Rolls - Senior Analyst, Head of Games

Piers Harding-Rolls

Piers has been the lead games analyst at Screen Digest since 2005. As head of the games team he leads projects in games related consulting, produces industry leading reports on games markets and manages the development and expansion of the games intelligence service into new areas of coverage including the various online games sectors such as the online console market, social network games and MMOGs. He is an acknowledged expert in packaged and online games sectors and is quoted widely in the press on these subjects.

Prior to joining Screen Digest, Piers gained over eight years experience working as a leading analyst of the IT services and software industries involved in both consulting projects and published research for high profile international companies. He has written widely on the games market and recent examples of his work include the following major reports: Digital Distribution of Games, examining the digital download and Games on Demand markets in Europe and North America and Subscription MMOGs: Life Beyond World of Warcraft, which is a benchmark analysis of the massively multiplayer online games markets in Europe and North America.


> Recent Reports & Articles by Piers Harding-Rolls
Adobe PDF Industry Big Media Investment in Games: The competitive challenge Big Media Investment in Games: The competitive challenge Big Media Investment in Games: The competitive challenge Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
This research aims to assess the new games industry strategies of a selection of media companies in the USA and Europe to gauge their likelihood of success and their impact on the games sector. The research comprises six separate chapters, looking specifically at Disney, Warner Bros., Viacom, News Corp, NBC Universal and a selection of major European media companies. Disney, Warner Bros. and Viacom alone have spent over $3bn since 2004 on games company acquisitions and game development investments underlining the scale of their ambition to compete directly with established pure-play games publishers.
11-Feb-10
Adobe PDF Company Disney Can Unlock Marvel's Value in the Games Sector Disney Can Unlock Marvel's Value in the Games Sector Disney Can Unlock Marvel's Value in the Games Sector Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
Disney's growing strength in games has taken a major step forward with the Marvel merger. The company's evolving in-house games development and publishing operation means that it is increasingly well positioned to exploit Marvel's 5,000 characters and associated storylines to their full commercial potential. However, a mature network of existing licence deals will have to expire over the coming ten years before Disney can reap the full financial benefits of this acquisition.
03-Sep-09
Adobe PDF Research Article Hardware innovations shown at E3 2009 Hardware innovations shown at E3 Hardware innovations shown at E3 Hardware innovations shown at E3 Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
Key games console manfuacturers have revealed their plans in mid-cycle of the current generation of technology
17-Jul-09
Adobe PDF Company E3 notes and impressions: Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo E3 notes and impressions: Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo E3 notes and impressions: Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
Microsoft made the headlines at the annual E3 conference with Project Natal - its new motion tracking, user recognition hardware and software solution. Sony showed off a high quality roster of exclusive content for both PS3 and PSP. Nintendo played safe while courting new and established customers alike with a roster of three major titles expected to launch in 2H 2009.
12-Jun-09
Adobe PDF Research Article Retailers in digital games handling 2009 Retailers in digital games handling Retailers in digital games handling Retailers in digital games handling Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
Pre-paid sales of online content and services are now commonplace
12-May-09
Adobe PDF Industry Subscription MMOGs: Life beyond World of Warcraft Subscription MMOGs: Life beyond World of Warcraft Subscription MMOGs: Life beyond World of Warcraft Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
A detailed review of the subscription market for massively multiplayer online games in North America and Europe. It includes market sizing for 2008 and updated forecasts to 2013 for key territories and details subscription numbers and consumer spending shares by title and by region. It examines MMOG service operator market shares and provides an analysis of the most recent content trends based on market value.
30-Mar-09
Adobe PDF Company Nintendo Drives Games Market to Record Levels Nintendo Drives Games Market to Record Levels Nintendo Drives Games Market to Record Levels Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
Nintendo's formidable Q4 2008 performance - especially in Western territories - drove the games market to a record high with $30.5bn in consumer spending on games alone. Microsoft's 360 strategy for Europe can be considered a success, as the platform sold strongly compared to 2007 in PlayStation-dominated continental territories, while Sony's focus on divisional profitability resulted in a modest Q4 as the PS3 was left exposed on price.
13-Feb-09
Adobe PDF Research Article Japanese games market softens 2009 Japanese games market softens Japanese games market softens Japanese games market softens Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
At odds with Western territories, games sales declined in 2008, partly as the DS and PlayStation 2 formats fade
20-Jan-09
Adobe PDF Company Games Hardware: GMI cuts FY PS3 sales guidance Games Hardware: GMI cuts FY PS3 sales guidance Games Hardware: GMI cuts FY PS3 sales guidance Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
GMI has reduced its forecasts of sales for Sony PS3 hardware in light of the poor econiomic outlook and potential inventory shortages in the holiday season. Sell-in estimates for the Sony FY have been cut to a range of 12-13m units (from 15m) on forecast sell-though of 12.3m (previously 14.5m). GMI believes Sony could nevertheless beat its own very cautious estimates by 20-30%.
12-Nov-08
Adobe PDF Research Article Microsoft games strategy evolves 2008 Microsoft games strategy evolves Microsoft games strategy evolves Microsoft games strategy evolves Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
The publisher closes or disbands its first-party development studios in a repeating pattern
15-Oct-08
Adobe PDF Company Nintendo's FY Upgraded In Line with GMI Forecasts Nintendo's FY Upgraded In Line with GMI Forecasts Nintendo's FY Upgraded In Line with GMI Forecasts Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
Nintendo has increased its forecasts for hardware sales in the current financial year, bringing them into line with GMI's expectations and reflecting continuing strong demand for both Wii and DS. Stock shortages may, however, threaten our forecasts of a 50% improvement in Sony PS3 sell-in. GMI will review these forecasts when PS3 sell-through results are reported in October.
01-Sep-08
Adobe PDF Company Sony's FY PS3 forecasts could be bettered by 50% Sony's FY PS3 forecasts could be bettered by 50% Sony's FY PS3 forecasts could be bettered by 50% Report locked, login or read more about how to purchase this report
Year-on-year Q2 2008 global volumes for games hardware sell-through were up 9.4 per cent, a meaningful increase but smaller than Q1 year-on-year growth of 17.6 per cent reflecting the weaker performance of the Japanese market and also the general decline of the GBA and PS2 platforms.
19-Aug-08
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