PC gaming worth $10.7bn

News

Ben Furfie Aug 20 2008, 11:03am

However, retail accounts for just 30 per cent of those revenues according to PCGA

Retail sales account for just 30 per cent of revenues generated by the PC gaming industry, according to the first report from the PC Gaming Alliance.

Speaking during his keynote at the Game Convention Developer's Conference in Leipzig yesterday, PCGA president Randy Stude revealed that the industry is worth a total of $10.7 billion (£5.8 billion), with the vast majority of revenues coming from online gaming.

Online gaming accounted for $4.8 billion (£2.6 billion) of revenue in 2007, boosted in no small part by the major success of World of Warcraft.

The figure is nearly double the revenues of retail.

Digital distribution was not far behind retail, standing at $2 billion (£1.08 billion), while advertising revenues stood at $800 million (£430 million).

"Our analysis clearly shows incredible growth in online PC gaming, proof that this industry is far stronger than anyone has reported," Stude said, address the audience. "Today's consumers shop where they live – online."