AUS: Games industry shatters sales records

Australia’s games industry set new sales records last year, with total revenues coming in at AUD $2.05 billion.

Data from market research group GfK Retail and Technology Australia showed this figure had increased by 4 per cent when compared to the previous year.

Software sales rose by 6 per cent year-on-year with family games accounting for 27 per cent of all games sold. The genre proved to be a key sales driver for a second year in a row, up 11 per cent when compared to 2008. Action games came in second, making up 15 per cent of sales.

Hardware sales remained relatively flat, down slightly from 2.249 million units in 2008 to 2.247 million units. Peripherals sales rose by 31 per cent.

The Interactive Games and Entertainment Association CEO Ron Curry said: 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.

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.

Despite a challenging economic climate, interactive entertainment has proven to offer families good value entertainment. We expect that in 2010 the industry will continue to maintain its steady sales performance as playing video games becomes as popular as watching television or surfing the net.”