OMEN
01-23-2008, 10:20 AM
http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,5852593,00.jpg
Game consoles ... Sony's PlayStation 3 (behind) and PlayStation Portable (front)
THE rising age of Australian gamers helped to skyrocket sales of gaming consoles to $1.3 billion last year.
Statistics from market research group GfK Australia show Australians purchased 15.4 million games in 2007, with more than a third sold in the final quarter ahead of Christmas.
Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia CEO Ron Curry said the 43.6 per cent sales increase from 2006 was a record achievement compared to the previous year's seven per cent rise.
"Last year, Australians welcomed the arrival of the PS3 (Playstation 3) and marked a full year since the release of the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii," he said.
"The launch of highly anticipated next generation gaming drove console sales to almost $500 million, nearly double the $270 million sold in 2006."
Mr Curry said the rising median age of Australian gamers drove the dramatic sales boost.
"The gaming industry is no longer a niche market appealing only to traditional gamers," he said.
"It is interesting to note that as more Australians embrace the most advanced gaming innovations and purchase the latest games, the average age of gamers has risen to 28 years old."
The figures also revealed a resurgence in popularity of handheld consoles, with 2.3 million units of software for the Nintendo DS system purchased last year compared to 840,000 in 2006.
Microsoft also announced a jump in sales during 2007, claiming more units of their Xbox 360 games console were sold than for any other next-generation platform.
More than 300,000 Xbox 360 consoles have been sold in Australia since its launch in March 2006 – along with two million games and 520,000 accessories.
Last week, Sony announced it had sold more than 175,000 PlayStation systems during the last five weeks of 2007.
Nintendo also revealed strong sales of their Wii and DS consoles with final figures expected to be released soon.
News AU
Game consoles ... Sony's PlayStation 3 (behind) and PlayStation Portable (front)
THE rising age of Australian gamers helped to skyrocket sales of gaming consoles to $1.3 billion last year.
Statistics from market research group GfK Australia show Australians purchased 15.4 million games in 2007, with more than a third sold in the final quarter ahead of Christmas.
Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia CEO Ron Curry said the 43.6 per cent sales increase from 2006 was a record achievement compared to the previous year's seven per cent rise.
"Last year, Australians welcomed the arrival of the PS3 (Playstation 3) and marked a full year since the release of the Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii," he said.
"The launch of highly anticipated next generation gaming drove console sales to almost $500 million, nearly double the $270 million sold in 2006."
Mr Curry said the rising median age of Australian gamers drove the dramatic sales boost.
"The gaming industry is no longer a niche market appealing only to traditional gamers," he said.
"It is interesting to note that as more Australians embrace the most advanced gaming innovations and purchase the latest games, the average age of gamers has risen to 28 years old."
The figures also revealed a resurgence in popularity of handheld consoles, with 2.3 million units of software for the Nintendo DS system purchased last year compared to 840,000 in 2006.
Microsoft also announced a jump in sales during 2007, claiming more units of their Xbox 360 games console were sold than for any other next-generation platform.
More than 300,000 Xbox 360 consoles have been sold in Australia since its launch in March 2006 – along with two million games and 520,000 accessories.
Last week, Sony announced it had sold more than 175,000 PlayStation systems during the last five weeks of 2007.
Nintendo also revealed strong sales of their Wii and DS consoles with final figures expected to be released soon.
News AU