PC sales Archives

Winsage

June 23, 2025

Windows 11 migration shows surprising surge for some businesses – but for once, desktop is leading the way

Desktop shipments to businesses increased by 22%, accounting for 17% of total enterprise PC sales, as companies prepare for the end of support for Windows 10. In contrast, overall PC shipments for consumers rose by only 9%. Canalys reported that during the first four months of 2025, overall PC shipments rose by an average of 9%, with desktops increasing by 8% and notebooks by 10%. Windows 11 adoption is currently at 43%, while Windows 10 stands at 53%. IDC forecasts a potential contraction in the global PC market due to stabilization from the migration to Windows 11 and expected worsening macroeconomic conditions.

AppWizard

June 17, 2025

Stellar Blade sold a million units in 3 days on PC and you can mostly thank Chinese players

Stellar Blade has sold over 1 million copies on PC within its first three days and reached the 81st position in Steam's top 100 all-time most-played games with a peak of 192,078 concurrent players. The game's success is largely attributed to its reception in China, where a Chinese dub and regional pricing have boosted sales. The PC version is priced lower than the console version. Reviewer Mollie Taylor rated the game 68%, noting it as a well-optimized PC port but criticized its story and tutorial level. Despite the critiques, she described it as a "decently solid soulslite."

AppWizard

June 17, 2025

‘Stellar Blade’ Rockets To A Million PC Sales In Three Days

Stellar Blade achieved sales of one million copies within three days of its PC launch, contributing to total sales of 3 million since its release in April 2024, a 50% increase. Approximately 58% of sales occurred in China, where the game is priced lower than in the U.S. The game reached a peak concurrent player count of over 190,000 and received a 92% rating on Steam and an 86 score on Metacritic. SHIFTUP plans further updates and is considering a sequel for 2027, with no current plans to bring the game to Xbox. Sony is focusing on releasing major AAA titles on PC, while multiplayer games are launched simultaneously on PC.

AppWizard

May 29, 2025

Once an arcade company, Capcom now sells most of its games on PC

Capcom has experienced a significant increase in PC game sales, surpassing console sales for the first time, with PC games accounting for 54% of total sales. In the last fiscal year, Capcom sold over 51 million software units, a 13% increase from the previous year, with 28 million being digital PC games and 18 million digital console games. Monster Hunter Wilds sold over 10 million units shortly after its release, while Monster Hunter World has lifetime sales of over 21 million, making it Capcom's most successful title. The Resident Evil 4 remake has surpassed 10 million in sales. Capcom plans to leverage its back catalog for growth, with recent releases including Onimusha 2 and the Capcom Fighting Collection 2, and Street Fighter 6 set to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2. Despite the growth in PC sales, Capcom expects console revenue to remain slightly higher through 2027, with mobile revenue projected to outpace both PC and console earnings in the future.

AppWizard

May 27, 2025

More than 60% of Capcom’s digital game sales last year were on PC

Capcom's strategic shift towards the PC gaming market has been successful, particularly after the release of Monster Hunter World on PC, which was initially delayed but received a positive response. The company aimed for 50% of its sales to come from PC by 2022 or 2023. Capcom has reported eight consecutive years of record profits, with 60% of its digital game sales in the last fiscal year coming from PC, contributing to over 54% of total game sales. Despite initial performance issues, Monster Hunter Wilds has performed well on Steam, with over half of its sales in February 2025 originating from this platform. Capcom is committed to releasing titles simultaneously on PC and consoles, indicating a promising outlook for future releases.

AppWizard

May 27, 2025

Capcom reveals its PC game sales overshadow console, and it’s only growing

Capcom's fiscal results for 2024 show that digital sales on PC have surpassed those on consoles, with PC sales at 60% and console sales at 40%. Capcom sold approximately 28.2 million games on PC and 19.5 million on consoles, marking an increase from the previous year when PC sales were 52%. The success of titles like Monster Hunter Wilds contributed to this growth. Additionally, the Resident Evil series has sold 170 million units, and the Monster Hunter series has reached 120 million units. Capcom aims for a 10% growth in operating profit for fiscal year 2026, focusing on digital sales and PC platforms.

Winsage

May 7, 2025

The “End of 10” project wants to save aging PCs with Linux instead of Windows 11

As Windows 10 approaches its end-of-life status in October, approximately 240 million PCs will become obsolete, prompting Microsoft to encourage users to upgrade to Windows 11, particularly on devices with Copilot+ technology. The "End of 10" initiative aims to introduce users to Linux, providing a website with instructions for installation and highlighting the benefits of Linux over Windows. Windows 11 requires Intel's 8th-generation processors or AMD's Ryzen 2000 series or newer, leaving many functional PCs, especially those made before 2017, unable to upgrade. The "End of 10" campaign promotes Linux as a viable alternative, emphasizing its compatibility with older hardware, cost-effectiveness, reduced emissions, privacy advantages, and lower susceptibility to malware. The website includes a directory of repair shops for support and offers a DIY installation guide. Despite over half of Windows devices still running Windows 10, the adoption rate of Windows 11 is increasing, indicating a potential shift in user migration.

Winsage

April 23, 2025

When Microsoft made the Windows as a Service pivot

Former Microsoft engineer Dave Plummer discussed the company's shift from paid upgrades to a Windows as a Service model, highlighting the challenges faced after the success of Windows 7 and the disappointing reception of Windows 8. He noted that Microsoft made Windows 10 available as a free upgrade for users of Windows 7, 8, and 8.1, which allowed the company to gather valuable telemetry data while introducing users to subscription services. However, the telemetry raised privacy concerns among users, as it included advertising and upsell mechanisms. Plummer expressed a desire for a version of Windows Pro without telemetry and advertising, indicating he would pay for such a product. He also mentioned that the transition to a service model helped address piracy by offering free upgrades to users with non-genuine copies of Windows.

AppWizard

February 11, 2025

GTA 6 PC Launch Teased By Rockstar Games’ Parent Company CEO

Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive, indicated that GTA 6 may eventually be released on PC, despite its initial exclusive launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in Fall 2025. Historically, Rockstar Games has released titles on consoles first, with PC versions arriving later, as seen with GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2. Zelnick acknowledged the importance of the PC market, stating that PC sales can account for over 40% of a game's total sales and noted the growing significance of PC gaming in their strategy. He also mentioned the potential for a delay in GTA 6's release into 2026. Take-Two's share price recently reached an all-time high, reflecting investor optimism about GTA 6.

Winsage

December 3, 2024

Microsoft’s Bad News—15 Million Windows Users Now At Risk

Microsoft is trying to persuade its 800 million Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11 before the end-of-support deadline in October 2024. Recent statistics show a stall in Windows 11 upgrades, with about 10 to 15 million users (roughly 1%) not transitioning. Global market share for Windows 10 has increased from 61% to 62%, while Windows 11 has decreased from over 35.5% to below 35%. In the US, Windows 10 rose from 58% to 61%, and Windows 11 fell from nearly 40% to below 37%. This shift follows Microsoft's announcement of a 12-month extended support option for Windows 10 users. Approximately 400 million users lack the necessary hardware to upgrade, and many are delaying upgrades due to the limited availability of AI features and the belief that better hardware options will emerge. The uptake of the extended support option will influence future trends, and the shift indicates that 10 to 15 million users may be exposed to security risks.