Gaming Industry Reaches $18.85 Billion in 2007

Interestingly enough, shortly after my last post on the growth of the gaming industry I got a press release (click link for full statement) with the official numbers:

“Computer and video game software sales reached $9.5 billion in 2007, 28% over the previous year, and set a new record according to final data compiled by the NPD Group and announced today by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). The industry’s economic impact is illustrated further through data showing that Halo 3®, the best-selling title of 2007, took in more revenue in its first day of sales than the biggest opening weekend ever for a movie (Spider-Man 3) and the final Harry Potter book’s first day sales.*

The ESA cited data showing that the industry sold over 13.4 million portable game units in 2007, easily trumping the much-hyped Apple iPhone®, which sold just four million units.

According to the data compiled by the NPD Group, overall U.S. video game console software sales reached $6.6 billion (153.9 million units), computer games sales were $910.7 million (36.4 million units), and a record $2.0 billion (77.5 million units) in portable software sales. In terms of total units sold, approximately 267.8 million computer and video games were sold in 2007.

*These figures are reported by Microsoft, Sony, and Scholastic Inc.—Halo 3 – $170M in its first day, Spider-Man 3’s entire opening weekend – $151M, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ first day sales – $166M.”

And with games not affected by the current writers’ strike or any other Hollywood nonsense, the industry may see further growth from casual gamers looking for quality entertainment that’s lacking elsewhere.