Firmaet som har ansvaret for å undersøke forbrukermarkedet, NPD Group, i samarbeid med Entertainment Software Association (ESA) har avslørt den amerikanske spillindustrien hadde $43,4 milliarder i inntekter i fjor, som representerer en økning på 18% fra 2017.
"The impressive economic growth of the industry announced today parallels the growth of the industry in mainstream American culture," sa ESA CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis. "Across the nation, we count people of all backgrounds and stages of life among our most passionate video game players and fans. Interactive entertainment stands today as the most influential form of entertainment in America."
"2018 was another record-setting year for the U.S. video game industry as consumer spending jumped 18 percent to over $43 billion. Whether it was playing on the go on a mobile device or at home on a PC or console, consumers of all ages and interests found compelling content that delighted in 2018," sa Mat Piscatella, spillindustrianalytiker for The NPD Group. "Console, PC, and mobile platforms all saw significant growth, while developing portions of the market like subscription and streaming services gave us a peek into a future full of possibilities for the industry and gamers."
Over 150 millioner amerikanere spiller spill, noe som gjør spillindustrien til den raskest voksende økonomiske sektoren i USA. Den står for over 220 000 jobber, og mer enn 500 colleger og universiteter tilbyr spillrelaterte kurs og fag, i tillegg til at flere av dem har begynt å omfavne esport og samarbeide med esport-lag.
Apropos NPD, Piscatella kom også med en interessant spådom for 2019, hvor han hevder at Switch kommer til å bli den mestselgende maskinvaren i USA.
"2019 will be a year of significant change and transition in gaming, and we should not expect to see the kind of growth we've seen in 2018. Switch will pull ahead in Console as we move to predicted 2020 next gen for MS/Sony. Could be a bumpy year."