Online gaming was once just a pipe dream for nerds all over the world. They imagined being able to spend their hours connected with friends, both local and across the globe, shooting each other to death. With the recent ten year anniversary of Xbox Live, though, it’s safe to say that online gaming is here to stay.

Many Different Flavors of Online Gaming

There are so many different meanings to the phrase “online gaming.” There are web based flash games. Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs. Games that only connect to the web for updates to their code and content. And then, the kind of online gaming most people mean… multiplayer matches and cooperative campaign games.

But what’s the viability of a business like this? Of course, Xbox Live has been around for 10 years and the PlayStation Network has millions of subscribers. But what are the real statistics and figures surround this industry?