遊戲機產業商業模式探討-台灣系統廠商及IC設計業之價值創造

Abstract

遊戲機產業已經有二十幾年的歷史，遊戲產業兩大霸主日本任天堂及SONY在整個遊戲機生產供應鏈方面，從上游IC、機構零件到下游的整機組裝，向來採行垂直整合模式。遊戲機產業一向有以軟體補貼硬體的特性，主機裝置量是遊戲機成功的指標；微軟的 XBOX™採取的分工模式切入，有利於成本的下降、縮短上市所需時間，使得產品競爭力提升，促使Sony及 Nintendo不得不走上半垂直分工，將部分零組件、模組或整機組裝委外OEM生產。由於台灣廠商對PC上下游相關零組件的熟悉度及掌握程度高，在產品品質及供應數量上可以充分掌握，加上為國際大廠ODM過程中不斷累積的產品設計經驗，都將是未來遊戲機製造商(Sony、 Microsoft、Nintendo) 外包不可或缺的夥伴。 本文即以此背景出發，歸納過去遊戲機產業的創新及產業結構的演變，分析如何由垂直整合模式走向水平分工的生態之演變，進而探討遊戲機內製或外包的決策，最後針對台灣系統廠商及IC設計公司，提供未來價值創新及策略研擬的方向探討。

The Game Console Industry has more than twenty years history. The current two major game console leaders, SONY and Nintendo, used to have virtical integration supply chain. Starting from upstream IC and mechanical components down to the console assembly, everything was used to be built in-house. Using game software to subsidize console hardware in order to grab major software market share is the characteristics of game console busienss. Therefore, the sales volume of game console is the key success indicator of game software business. Microsoft is a new comer in the game business, and has successfully applied a dis-integration supply chain model to market its XBOX™ game console. It results in lower cost and faster new game console development, and succesfuly gains significant market share in game business. It has forced Sony and Nintendo to change their original vertical integration business model to semi-vertical dis-integration, by outsourcing some of their componets, modules and even the whole set of the game console. Taiwan companies are leaders in PC hardware industry and built up a very strong supply chain infrastructure. These advantages facilitate Taiwan companies into game console manufacturing and design busienss. Taiwan suppliers will play a more important role than before, and will act as strategic business partners to the worldwide branded game console players such as Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo. From the perspectives of the technology innovation and infrastructure development of Game Console industry, the thesis explores and analysizes the following topics: (1) how game console manufacturing business changing from vertical integration to virtual integration, (2) decision making process of outsourcing game console compoents and modules, (3) future value creation and strategies of Taiwanese system manufacturers and IC design companies.