According to sales data compiled by GFK, video and computer gaming sales reached a record of $2.05 billion. This is an increase of 4 per cent from 2008 despite last year’s challenging economic climate.
‘Family games’ remained the best-selling genre for the second year in a row, with 27 per cent of all games sold in 2009 coming from the said category. The second most popular genre was Action, making up 15 per cent of all games sold.
The data compiled by GFK includes all sales from hardware, gaming peripherals and traditionally boxed software, but excludes revenue generated from online retail sales, downloadable content, online games subscriptions and games delivered to mobile phones.
CEO of the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (iGEA), Ron Curry said that the healthy sales results highlight the buoyancy of Australia’s video and computer gaming industry.
“Australia’s interactive entertainment industry continues to maintain sales despite the global economic slowdown. Video games remain a popular household pastime that can be played by the entire family,” says Curry.
“Whilst a modest increase, we need to view this against a very tough economic environment and avoid comparing it to last year where consumers used their Government stimulus package to invest in a form of entertainment that brings the whole family together and can be enjoyed time and time again,” added Curry.
It has also been reported that software sales increased by 6 per cent from last year and hardware sales remain steady with 2.247 million units sold in 2009 compared to 2.249 million units sold in 2008. Sales for gaming peripherals also experienced an increase of 31 per cent.
Curry expects the video game industry to continue and main its steady performance as it becomes more and more popular.
