Report: Spanish Gamers Will Spend $2.2B In 2011

New data from a survey by market research firm Newzoo has found that gamers in Spain will spend a total of €1.6 billion ($2.2 billion) on video games during 2011. The Spanish National Gamers Survey noted that around 51 percent of the Spanish population who use online facilities also play video games -- approximately 24 million people overall. However, the survey found that 15 million of these gamers are 'active' -- that is, they spend money on video games. It also noted that 46 percent of Spanish gamers are female. In terms of online gaming, 76 percent of all Spanish gamers play casual and social games, while online and mobile games take up 51 percent of time spent gaming by Spanish players. Overall, these games are played for 21 million hours every day in Spain. Other interesting statistics from the study include the fact that 22 percent of the €540 million ($751.7 million) spent on console games in Spain during 2011 went towards second-hand games, with 12 percent spent on DLC. Peter Warman, CEO and co-founder of Newzoo, explained, "What I found interesting about Spain is the fact that the share of people actually spending money on or in mobile and online games, is comparable to other large Western countries." "I expect the current recession to seriously affect spending on new boxed products but growth in online population and spending within free-to-play games to push the overall market to growth, in terms of time as well as money spent."