Analyst: Video Game Industry To Reach $63B By 2013

Research firm IBISWorld released a study forecasting that the video game industry will grow by 10.2 percent per year, eventually generating $63.2 billion in revenue by 2013. According to the report, the gaming sector is "somewhat recession-proof" and is expected to grow 9.5 percent this year, bringing in $38.9 billion, despite flagging consumer sentiment. Said IBISWorld senior analyst George Van Horn: “This is an industry in an enviable position with a loyal client base regularly topped up by a fresh generation of users with older players failing to desert the sector at the age originally expected. Around a third of American households have a gaming console, which means the industry can still achieve considerable growth, spurred on by constantly evolving technology.” The study also found that women and older adults are the primary driving force behind the growth of the video game industry, as IBISWorld found that 38 percent of gamers in the U.S. are women, having risen from 33 percent in just five years, with the average player aged 35 years old. The research report also shows that 24 percent of video game players are aged over 50. With these results, IBISWorld predicts that developers and publishers will focus even more on producing games designed specifically to appeal to older players, such as Brain Age for the Nintendo DS. Horn said: "Parents also fall into the 'older gamer' category, and the sheer number of them playing games with their children is another factor driving industry growth. Some surveys (NPD) suggest that 93 percent of parents playing video games have children who are playing too. In fact, nearly half the games sold in 2006 held an 'E' rating, and with 39 the average age of a game buyer, that would suggest the mom-and-dad market is a major one."