Nielsen: Europe Passes NA To Become 2nd-Largest Game Territory
See Full ImageAccording to a recent Nielsen study, Europe is now the second-largest video game territory in the world: gaming generated EU 7.3 billion (USD $11.4 billion) in the European Union last year, which compares quite favorably to Asia (EU 7.4 billion; USD $11.5 billion) and the US at $10.7 billion (EU 6.9 billion). (source- GamesIndustry.biz)
There are several more bits of interesting data, too: the average age of the gamer in the UK is 33 years old - the highest of all surveyed territories - while 42% of those players have children. Parents clearly enjoy playing games with their kids, as 72% said it was "a fun way to pass the time." In response to these statistics, ELSPA managing director Michael Rawlinson had this to say:
"This research confirms what the industry has realised for a long time - gaming is now enjoyed by an incredibly diverse audience. And the UK is a particularly mature market – we have the oldest, most passionate gamers across Europe. The fact that gamers are growing up and enjoying gaming with their children illustrates the enduring nature of the medium. It’s fair to say that, compared to other forms of entertainment, games are doing well."
Nielsen Games called this study "Videogamers in Europe - 2008" and used a pool of about 6000 active gamers aged 16-49. These gamers came from 15 different European countries- UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Benelux, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Czech Republic, Poland and Latvia. There's no doubt that the Euro market is now essential for all developers and publishers, so perhaps the days of late releases and unavailable titles are long gone...
5/28/2008 Ben Dutka
Email this to a friend!
Put this on your webpage or blog:
