$4.5-$4.75 BILLION SPENT ON VIDEO GAME CONTENT

[NWOWolfpack]

According to consumer research from leading market research company, The NPD Group, in addition to the $10.5 billion spent in the U.S. by consumers on new physical video game software in 2009, the total spend by consumers within other industry channels in the U.S., including used video games, rentals, subscriptions, digital full game downloads, downloadable content, and mobile game apps., is estimated in the range of $4.5 to $4.75 billion. Consumers’ digital game spending is concentrated among lower priced full-game downloads and downloadable content.

The NPD Group’s 2009 consumer spending estimate includes all channels and media except for social network gaming. These segments, representing billions of dollars in consumer spend, when combined with the established, dominant physical format, are indicative of the continued popularity of gaming.

“Our expanded estimate of consumer spending reflects the growing number of options to purchase, acquire and interact with video games ranging from GameFly rentals to iPod Touch game apps,” said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group. “Consumer spending on social network games like those offered by Facebook would push this estimate even higher.”

“Tracking and reporting consumer demand for gaming in all its forms is a step toward reflecting the full breadth and depth of the Games industry, The NPD Group is excited to provide an expanded view into U.S. video game content sales through our recently launched Games Acquisition Monitor and other consumer-based tracking services,” said Dave McQuillan, President/Games Division, The NPD Group.


Methodology

The estimates are derived leveraging NPD’s portfolio of physical POS tracking and consumer research including the Games Acquisition Monitor, Video Game & PC Game Subscriptions Tracker and Consumer Purchase Tracker. It also incorporates consumer spend estimation provided by NPD retail and publisher partners.


http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_100616.html