US sales of video games dived 23% to $863 mln in May 2009, NPD said, dipping below the $1 bln threshold for the first time since August 2007.
10.5 mln BluRay players in the US in Q1 2009
About 9 mln high-definition units sold in the US in Q1 2009, up from the 4.8 mln that sold during Q1 2008, according to Adams Media Research. There are now 10.5 mln Blu-ray households, encompassing owners of both Blu-ray set-tops and Blu-ray-enabled PlayStation 3s.
Game play among parents and non-parents
Do you ever use any of the following to play games whether or not you personally have one?
| Parents | Non- Parents | |
| Desktop or laptop | 45% | 35% |
| Game console | 41 | 22 |
| Cell phone, Blackberry, or other handheld organizer | 25 | 16 |
| Portable gaming device | 21 | 10 |
| Source: Pew Internet Project | ||
Videogame revenues to reach $41.9 bln in 2009
IbisWorld said videogame industry revenue is set to reach $41.9 bln in 2009, having risen from $27.2 bln in 2004, with over 37 mln consoles sold in the United States alone in 2008.
How often do people play games?
How often do you play games, whether on a computer, or online, or on a game console, or on some other device?
| Everyday or almost everyday |
A few times a week |
A few times a month |
Less often | |
| Total gamers | 21% | 28% | 27% | 20% |
| Gamers ages 18-29 | 20 | 30 | 30 | 16 |
| Gamers ages 30-49 | 20 | 26 | 25 | 24 |
| Gamers ages 50-64 | 19 | 30 | 25 | 21 |
| Gamers age 65+ | 36 | 28 | 17 | 14 |
| Source: Pew Internet Project | ||||
Demographics of Adult Gamers
The percentage of Americans in each demographic category who report playing games online or offline, using a computer, cell phone or any other kind of gaming device:
| All adults | 53% |
| Sex | |
| Men | 55 |
| Women | 50 |
| Age | |
| 18-29 | 81 |
| 30-49 | 60 |
| 50-64 | 40 |
| 65+ | 23 |
| Race | |
| White, non-Hispanic | 51 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 51 |
| Hispanic (English-speaking) | 63 |
| Annual Household Income | |
| Less than $30,000 | 52 |
| $30,000 – $49,999 | 59 |
| $50,000 – $74,999 | 62 |
| $75,000 + | 56 |
| Education | |
| Less than HS | 40 |
| HS grad | 51 |
| Some college/College grad | 57 |
| Locale | |
| Urban | 56 |
| Suburban | 53 |
| Rural | 47 |
| Source: Pew Internet Project | |
Computer or Game Console?
Pew Internet Project surveyed US adults regarding their sage of PCs vs consoles to play games.
| % of adults | % of gamers | |||
| Age | Computer | Game console |
Computer | Game console |
| Total adult population | 38% | 28% | 73% | 53% |
| 18-29 | 55 | 61 | 68 | 75 |
| 30-49 | 42 | 34 | 70 | 57 |
| 50-64 | 33 | 9 | 83 | 23 |
| 65+ | 19 | 2 | 81 | 10 |
| Source: Pew Internet Project | ||||
Console sales up 11% in February 2009
Video game hardware revenues climbed 11% to $532.7 mln in February 2009 from $481.4 mln in February 2008, according to NPD Group. Americans bought 753,000 units of Wii, the best-selling console. The handheld Nintendo DS, which sold 588,000 units, came in second. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 sold 391,000 units, up 53% from a year earlier, while Sony’s PlayStation 3 sold 276,000 units. Nintendo also had the best-selling game in February with its Wii Fit, an exercise game that sold 644,000 copies. Capcom USA’s Street Fighter IV took the number two and three spots with 446,000 copies for the Xbox and 403,000 for the Play Station 3. Overall software sales grew 9% to $733.5 mln from $673.3 mln.
Devices used for gaming among US adults
| % of all adults |
% of adult gamers |
% of teen gamers |
|
| Desktop or laptop computer | 38% | 73% | 76% |
| Game console (Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, etc) | 28 | 53 | 89 |
| Cell phone, Blackberry, or other handheld organizer | 18 | 35 | 50 |
| Portable gaming device like PSP, DS, or Gameboy | 13 | 25 | 62 |
| Source: Pew Internet Project | |||
Game hardware and software generated $22 bln in 2008
Computer and video game industry hardware, software and peripheral sales climbed to $22 bln in 2008, with entertainment software sales comprising $11.7 bln of that total figure, a 22.9% jump over 2007, Entertainment Software Association announced. The industry set the new record, calculated by market-research firm NPD Group, on the strength of December 2008 sales, when industry revenue ($5.3 bln) topped $5 bln for the first time in any single month. By comparison, as recently as 1997, the industry generated $5.1 bln over the entire year. In 2008, total US video game console software sales reached $8.9 bln (189.0 mln units), PC game sales hit $701.4 mln (29.1 mln units), and portable software topped 2007’s record sales with $2.1 bln (79.5 mln units) in revenue. Overall, retailers sold approximately 297.6 mln computer and video games 2007.
2008 US video game sales reached $21.33 bln
According to NPD Group, Americans bought $21.33 bln worth of video game systems, software and accessories in 2008. This is a big jump from 2007’s $18 bln. Total hardware sales climbed 2% in December 2008, to $1.88 bln. For 2008, software sales hit nearly $11 bln, a 26% increase from 2007. Hardware sales jumped 11% to $7.81 bln.
Share of Game Console Buzz in 2008
| Game Console | Percent of Buzz | |||
| Xbox | 41.6 | |||
| Wii | 29.8 | |||
| PlayStation | 28.6 | |||
| Source: Nielsen | ||||
Videogame console usage in 2008
| Rank | Console | Usage Minutes % | ||
| 1 | PlayStation 2 | 31.7 | ||
| 2 | Xbox 360 | 17.2 | ||
| 3 | Wii | 13.4 | ||
| 4 | Xbox | 9.7 | ||
| 5 | PlayStation 3 | 7.3 | ||
| 6 | GameCube | 4.6 | ||
| 7 | Other | 16.2 | ||
| Source: Nielsen | ||||
190 mln households to have consoles by 2012, 148 mln of those will have Internet-connected consoles
By 2012, approximately 190 mln households will use a next-generation game console, TDG predicts. 80% of these households – 148 mln – will have this console connected to the Internet. 75% of connected-console households – more than 110 mln – will use console-based video services at least a couple times each week.
Game sales up 10% in November 2008
US retail sales of video game hardware, software and accessories jumped 10% in November 2008 from November 2007 to $2.91 bln. The industry is still on track to reach $22 bln in US sales in 2008. Hardware sales jumped 10% to $1.21 bln. Video game software sales grew 11% to $1.31 bln.
Where consumers spend their money online – video games grew 60% in one year
| Product Category | Growth, YTY |
| Total Retail Category (Excludes Travel) | 6% |
| Video Games, Consoles & Accessories | 60% |
| Furniture, Appliances & Equipment | 52% |
| Sport & Fitness | 40% |
| Event Tickets | 18% |
| Flowers, Greetings & Misc. Gifts | 14% |
| Home & Garden | 6% |
| Consumer Electronics (excluding PC Peripherals) | 1% |
| Computers, Peripherals & PDAs | 0% |
| Apparel & Accessories | -2% |
| Toys & Hobbies | -3% |
| Jewelry & Watches | -11% |
| Music, Movies & Videos | -29% |
| Source: comScore | |
Video game hardware and software sales up 18% in October 2008
US sales of video game hardware and software rose 18% in October 2008 from October 2007, after falling 7% in September 2008, as Wii console sold over 800,000 units, NPD reported.
UK video games market to grow 42% in 2008
Verdict Research predicted that the video games market would grow by 1.37 bln pounds or 42% in 2008, outstripping music and video sales. That would value the games market at 4.64 bln pounds compared to the 4.46 bln pounds spent on music and videos.
US game spending down 7% in September 2008
Americans spent $1.27 bln on video games in September 2008, down 7% from September 2007. Hardware sales dropped 9% to $497.98 mln and software sales fell 6% to $616.1 mln. Nintendo Wii and DS held their place as the two best-selling gaming systems. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 sold 347,200 units during the month, in third place and up 78% from August 2008.
Gaming plastic accessories are a $1.3 bln market
According to The NPD Group, US consumers spent a record $1.3 bln so far in 2008 on plastic guitars, steering wheels and other add-ons.
US video game sales up 9% in August 2008
US sales of video game hardware and software rose 9% in August 2008 to $994.8 mln, boosted by the popularity of the newly released Madden NFL 09. Americans bought $384.6 mln in video game hardware, up 3% from August 2007, lead by sales of the handheld Nintendo DS, which sold 518,300 units, according to NPD Group.
Online revenues from console games to reach $8 bln by 2012
Parks Associates estimates that global online revenues from games played on consoles will grow from $1.3 bln in 2008 (mostly from Xbox Live) to more than $8 bln in 2013.
Portable console sales for Q2 2008: Nintendo DS – 6.94 mln, Sony PSP – 3.72 mln
In Q2 2008 Sony sold 3.72 mln units of the PSP worldwide, while Nintendo’s DS sold 6.94 mln units.
Virtual economies employ 400,000 people in 2008
In 2008 the virtual game economy employs 400,000 people who earn an average of $145 per month, creating a global market worth about $500 mln, according to Professor Richard Heeks from the University of Manchester. 80% of virtual game workers are based in China.
Video game hardware and software sales up 28% in July 2008
US sales of video game hardware and software soared 28% in July 2008, hitting $1.19 bln. According to NPD Group, Americans bought $446.9 mln worth of video game hardware during the month, a 17% jump from July 2007.