UK leads global videogames market growth

Information released by the big three videogame market information providers, The NPD Group, GfK Chart-Track and Enterbrain, has shown that the UK led market growth on a global basis in 2008.

The country saw a 26 per cent increase in sales over 2007, compared to 15 per cent in the United States and a 13 per cent decline in Japan, meaning that it's now overtaken Japan to become the second largest videogames market in the world.

Combined growth across the three biggest markets in the world averaged out at 11 per cent, with 409.9 million units of software sold compared to 367.7 million the previous year.

Console software in the UK rocketed by 38 per cent, with portable software jumping 6 per cent, while in the US the numbers were more modest at 22 per cent and 2 per cent respectively.

"UK console videogame software units are more than double what was achieved in 2003, which just shows how fast the UK market has been growing," said Dorian Bloch, business group director for GfK Chart-Track Limited.

"Because of this amazing growth and coupled with the downtown currently being experienced in Japan, the UK market has for the first time overtaken Japan as the number two world market.

"Although still behind on revenue, the gap has narrowed considerably and it will be interesting to see how things develop during 2009."