Bonanza For Games Industry

The gaming industry is showing little affects from the GFC, according to GFK

With just one quarter to go, retail sales for video and computer games are poised to outstrip last year’s record figure that fell just short of $2billion ($1.96billion).

Sales data from independent market research group GfK Retail and Technology Australia has the industry tracking 8.3 per cent higher by the end of September, compared to the same period last year.

Sales of console hardware has risen 10 per cent, and game sales are up 5 per cent to $716 million with the Christmas bonanza still to come.

“The rise of family entertainment as a genre continues to underpin much of the industry’s growth – family console games now account for 32 percent of all games sold, followed by action (13.2%),” Ron Curry, CEO of the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association said.

“Christmas will see iGEA members delivering a number of highly anticipated games, along with some surprises, which should see sales surpass the records set in 2008.

“Australia’s interactive games industry continues to see healthy growth now that video and computer gaming has become as mainstream in popularity, as watching television or surfing the net.”