What can Google Insight tell us about RPGs?

Jürgen Hubert · 07-02-2009, 10:19 AM

I just found out about Google Insight, which tracks the number of searches for specific terms over time. This might help us track the general state of various RPG lines.

Here are various trends I found for the period on display (starting with 2004):

Call of Cthulhu: About the same, with the exception of a peak in April 2006 (coinciding with the "Dark Corners of the Earth" computer game). The search term is also very popular in Russia, for some reason.
D&D: Down by half
Exalted: Up by 25%
GURPS: Down to a third
RIFTS: Down by half
Savage Worlds: Up by 50%
Shadowrun: Down by half
World of Darkness: Slightly lower than it started, but now about constant

So it does seem that the gaming industry and community is no longer as large as it used to be. But what else can be learned from this tool?

This tool also allows comparisons by country, as well as some other nifty options. So make your own armchair analysis of gaming trends!

07-02-2009, 10:19 AM	#1
Jürgen Hubert Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Oldenburg, Germany	What can Google Insight tell us about RPGs? I just found out about Google Insight, which tracks the number of searches for specific terms over time. This might help us track the general state of various RPG lines. Here are various trends I found for the period on display (starting with 2004): Call of Cthulhu: About the same, with the exception of a peak in April 2006 (coinciding with the "Dark Corners of the Earth" computer game). The search term is also very popular in Russia, for some reason. D&D: Down by half Exalted: Up by 25% GURPS: Down to a third RIFTS: Down by half Savage Worlds: Up by 50% Shadowrun: Down by half World of Darkness: Slightly lower than it started, but now about constant So it does seem that the gaming industry and community is no longer as large as it used to be. But what else can be learned from this tool? This tool also allows comparisons by country, as well as some other nifty options. So make your own armchair analysis of gaming trends! __________________ GURPS Repository • Sunken Castles, Evil Poodles - translating German folk tales into English!