Video-game industry revenues grew so much during the pandemic that they reportedly exceeded sports and film combined
2020 hasn't been a great year for most people, nor has it been very good for most industries.
The coronavirus pandemic killed over 1.7 million people worldwide, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization, and countries around the world remain in various forms of lockdown.
But for video-game makers like Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, 2020 has been a record-breaking sales year as millions of people headed indoors for extended periods amid coronavirus lockdowns.
Video-game industry revenues are on track to exceed both sports and film combined, according to a new report from market intelligence firm IDC on Marketplace. IDC estimates video-game industry revenues reaching $179.7 billion for the year.
Both the sports and film industries have seen major declines in 2020, as stadiums and theaters shuttered amid coronavirus lockdowns.
Growth in the video-game industry was broadly spurred by the impacts of the pandemic: Four-fifths of all US consumers "played a video game in the past six months," according to the latest report from the NPD Group.
Though the growth in play time was spread across all demographics, it was most pronounced in a surprising demographic: people aged 35 to 54 years old. Among the groups measured, older folks saw the largest gains — with a nearly 60% spike in game playing among people 45 to 54 years old.
2020 hasn't been a great year for most people, nor has it been very good for most industries.
The coronavirus pandemic killed over 1.7 million people worldwide, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization, and countries around the world remain in various forms of lockdown.
But for video-game makers like Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft, 2020 has been a record-breaking sales year as millions of people headed indoors for extended periods amid coronavirus lockdowns.
Video-game industry revenues are on track to exceed both sports and film combined, according to a new report from market intelligence firm IDC on Marketplace. IDC estimates video-game industry revenues reaching $179.7 billion for the year.
Both the sports and film industries have seen major declines in 2020, as stadiums and theaters shuttered amid coronavirus lockdowns.
Growth in the video-game industry was broadly spurred by the impacts of the pandemic: Four-fifths of all US consumers "played a video game in the past six months," according to the latest report from the NPD Group.
Though the growth in play time was spread across all demographics, it was most pronounced in a surprising demographic: people aged 35 to 54 years old. Among the groups measured, older folks saw the largest gains — with a nearly 60% spike in game playing among people 45 to 54 years old.
