UK's gaming market doubles in six years

The UK's gaming market has doubled in the last six years making it larger than both France and Germany combined, according to a new report out today.

According to a reports by analysts Screen Digest on behalf of ELSPA, the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, in the six year up to 2003 the interactive leisure software market in the UK has grown by over 100%, far outstripping cinema box office (30%), VHS/DVD rental (14%) and music retail which has actually fallen by 4.5% over the same period.

Globally, the interactive leisure software retail market was worth $18.2 billion in 2003, up 10.8% from 2002. Looking ahead, Screen Digest predicts that the global retail market will grow by 16% to reach $21.1 billion by 2007.

The UK 2003 market rose by nearly 7% over 2002, to £1.152 million (€1,677 million), the highest value ever reached. This contributed to a total UK market of over £2 billion for software and hardware (excluding PC) for the second year running.

Compared to the rest of Europe, the UK console software market is larger than both France and Germany combined, despite the UK population being just under 60 million with the other two countries at over 140 million.

UK maintains its ranking as third largest market in the world after the US and Japan, the study found.

The Western European market as a whole was $1.2 billion smaller than the US market but $3.7 billion larger than Japan in 2003. This will most likely further expand as the 10 new EU member states become more sustainable markets, Screen Digest said.

Roger Bennett, director general of ELSPA, said: "The computer and video games industry continues to demonstrate the most dynamic growth rate of all the creative industries. As both central and local government recognise the value of this industry to UK balance of trade, it is gratifying to have proof of the every growing popularity of interactive entertainment and the broadening customer base."

Ben Keen, research director and Chief Analyst of Screen Digest, said that the market will soon be flooded with new handheld machines "to give the market a huge boost ahead of the next generation of TV-based consoles".

(gmcg/sp)