According to the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association, Australian video game sales are going exceptionally well and are expected to surpass the record 2008 figure of $2 billion.

This positive view has been supported by independent market research group GfK Retail and Technology Australia, which tracks the industry as 8.3 per cent higher at the end of September 2009 when compared to the same period last year.

In addition to this, sales of console hardware have risen 10 per cent and game sales are up 5 per cent to $716 million with the Christmas season still to come.

Ron Curry, CEO of the IGEA commented on the impressive year so far.

“The rise of family entertainment as a genre continues to underpin much of the industry’s growth – family console games now account for 32 percent of all games sold, followed by action (13.2%),” he said.

“Family entertainment games outstripped action games for the first time last year, accounting for 28 per cent of all games software sales whilst action games accounted for 15.5 per cent. Interactive games are played by all generations across the entire household and publishers continue to produce quality games to meet the demand. In terms of classification, 67 per cent of all sales were generated from G or PG rated titles.”

Curry was confident that the strong sales will continue and surpass the records set last year, as the medium becomes increasingly more mainstream in the community.

“Christmas will see IGEA members delivering a number of highly anticipated games, along with some surprises, which should see sales surpass the records set in 2008,” he said.

“Australia’s interactive games industry continues to see healthy growth now that video and computer gaming has become as mainstream in popularity, as watching television or surfing the net.”