Brits Buy 63 Million Games in 2010

John Funk

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Dec 20, 2005
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Brits Buy 63 Million Games in 2010



Residents of the United Kingdom bought a combined 63 million games for console and PC over the last year.

According to Wikipedia, the UK has 62,041,708 inhabitants as of the 2010 census. According to official figures released by trade body UKIE, there were enough game sales in the region over the past year to give every single one of those inhabitants a shiny new copy of Black Ops, FIFA 11 or Gran Turismo 5 (or whatever) for the holidays.

UKIE's figures also show that all told, the UK games industry was worth £2.88 billion ($4.5 billion) in 2010, reports MCV [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/42366/UK-2010-games-market-hits-2875bn]. While this sounds like a lot of money (and it is), it is actually a step down from 2009, where the industry was estimated to have earned £3.31 billion over the year. However, these figures only track brick-and-mortar retail; it is more than possible that the growing popularity of digital distribution has softened the blow somewhat - but only somewhat.

Despite an overall decline in revenue, UKIE says that both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 saw growth in 2010. The 360 was the most lucrative platform of the year, grossing £538m in sales over 18.2 million software units. The PS3 trailed, earning £414m with 13.8 million games sold. The two HD consoles were far more even on the hardware side of things, with the Xbox 360 narrowly edging out the PS3 in terms of revenue from hardware sales, £232 to £229.

While UKIE declined to release any sales numbers for Nintendo hardware and software, it says that the peripheral market had been the most lucrative of all, taking in 545m over 25.8m units sold. That's a lot of controllers and plastic guitars.

"Despite 2010 being a tough year for the economy, the video games and interactive entertainment industry continues to perform strongly," said UKIE director general Mike Rawlinson.

"As the UK's leading creative industry, these figures demonstrate the increasingly popular position of video games in everyone's everyday lives, and the strength that the sector has to see it through tough times."

Righto! Jolly good, lads - smashingly brilliant! You guys still speak like that over there, right? I kid, I kid - I kid because I love.

(Eurogamer [http://www.mcvuk.com/news/42366/UK-2010-games-market-hits-2875bn])

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SantoUno

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Aug 13, 2009
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And how does this matter ?

Before anyone gets the wrong idea, I just simply felt that this isn't so surprising.
 

Woodsey

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Steve5513 said:
And yet they still want tax cuts?
Tax cuts make it easier for smaller studios to get by (and if a game doesn't do so good they're not totally fucked), brings publishers and developers into the country, gives people jobs and boosts the economy when more money rakes in.

Sometimes you've got to spend a bit to get more back.

SantoUno said:
And how does this matter ?
It shows the popularity of games, the importance of games to the economy, what makes the most money, and how the industry can do in a not-so-great economic climate.

That enough?
 

Sigmund Av Volsung

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Dec 11, 2009
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Steve5513 said:
And yet they still want tax cuts?

Same old story. Rich people want more money and us poorer folk are lining up to give it to them.

This is still great news though don't get me wrong. I'm glad to see vidya games doing well.

And yes, most of us English people do still talk like that. Chap.
I belive this video expresses your opinion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMIePoYvFlA&feature=related
 

Amnestic

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Aug 22, 2008
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John Funk said:
Righto! Jolly good, lads - smashingly brilliant! You guys still speak like that over there, right? I kid, I kid - I kid because I love.
"Jolly good" is part of my common vocabulary and has been for years, so yes, we do ;>

SantoUno said:
And how does this matter ?
Well considering the population of Britain is about 60 million, it indicates that the games industry managed to sell on average, more than one game per person across the isle. Obviously this isn't quite what happened, but it's still impressive.
 

Terramax

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The Daily Mail will think of a way of spinning this negatively.

63 mil games sold = 63 mil murderers in the making, or something.
 

Melon Hunter

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May 18, 2009
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I would be interested to find out how many of these sales came from franchises such as FIFA 11 or Black Ops, rather than new IPs. I bet that it's a pretty big chunk of the market.

Also, I'm loving the 'Houses of Parliament = Britain' vibe.
 

SantoUno

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Woodsey said:
It shows the popularity of games, the importance of games to the economy, what makes the most money, and how the industry can do in a not-so-great economic climate.

That enough?
Perhaps, I just thought it was somewhat insignificant news because it didn't sound so surprising to me, but then again I pay no attention to current events so I really don't know anything.

Amnestic said:
Well considering the population of Britain is about 60 million, it indicates that the games industry managed to sell on average, more than one game per person across the isle. Obviously this isn't quite what happened, but it's still impressive.
Yes it is impressive, perhaps I take back my original stance, that's quite a 'cheevo (Haha lameass pun I know).
 

IckleMissMayhem

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John Funk said:
Righto! Jolly good, lads - smashingly brilliant! You guys still speak like that over there, right? I kid, I kid - I kid because I love.
Pip, pip old chum, say, what?

A quick look at my shelves says I bought 11 games last year. Not all new releases though...
Terramax said:
The Daily Mail will think of a way of spinning this negatively.

63 mil games sold = 63 mil murderers in the making, or something.
Nah, It'll be "Video games cancer link"... it IS the Daily Fail, after all...
 

John Funk

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Dec 20, 2005
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Melon Hunter said:
I would be interested to find out how many of these sales came from franchises such as FIFA 11 or Black Ops, rather than new IPs. I bet that it's a pretty big chunk of the market.

Also, I'm loving the 'Houses of Parliament = Britain' vibe.
Well, if you have any other ideas for a single image that instantly communicates "hey yo this is the UK" to all observers that isn't Parliament and that big ol' clock...
 

Woodsey

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psrdirector said:
Woodsey said:
Steve5513 said:
And yet they still want tax cuts?
Tax cuts make it easier for smaller studios to get by (and if a game doesn't do so good they're not totally fucked), brings publishers and developers into the country, gives people jobs and boosts the economy when more money rakes in.

Sometimes you've got to spend a bit to get more back.
I have to disagree with the creating jobs, a tax cut to industries that higher much larger amounts would be a lot better then to a very insuler industry like video game design, that highers vary few people for the amount of money it takes compared to other industries such as manufacturing.
Disagree with it all you want, it still creates jobs (at the very least, it protects them by not having companies up and leave) and still earns huge amounts of money. I think you're underestimating the size and worth of the industry.

If you make yourself more attractive to the companies, they will come. Why? Because they're leaving countries like us now to go to places like Canada, where they do support them with tax cuts.
 

Melon Hunter

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May 18, 2009
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John Funk said:
Melon Hunter said:
I would be interested to find out how many of these sales came from franchises such as FIFA 11 or Black Ops, rather than new IPs. I bet that it's a pretty big chunk of the market.

Also, I'm loving the 'Houses of Parliament = Britain' vibe.
Well, if you have any other ideas for a single image that instantly communicates "hey yo this is the UK" to all observers that isn't Parliament and that big ol' clock...
Hey sorry, that wasn't meant to be sarcastic =P. Maybe Tower Bridge or the London Eye?
 

Woodsey

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psrdirector said:
Woodsey said:
psrdirector said:
Woodsey said:
Steve5513 said:
And yet they still want tax cuts?
Tax cuts make it easier for smaller studios to get by (and if a game doesn't do so good they're not totally fucked), brings publishers and developers into the country, gives people jobs and boosts the economy when more money rakes in.

Sometimes you've got to spend a bit to get more back.
I have to disagree with the creating jobs, a tax cut to industries that higher much larger amounts would be a lot better then to a very insuler industry like video game design, that highers vary few people for the amount of money it takes compared to other industries such as manufacturing.
Disagree with it all you want, it still creates jobs (at the very least, it protects them by not having companies up and leave) and still earns huge amounts of money. I think you're underestimating the size and worth of the industry.

If you make yourself more attractive to the companies, they will come. Why? Because they're leaving countries like us now to go to places like Canada, where they do support them with tax cuts.
What about the companies that are not getting the tax breaks, by paying favrotisim to an industry that creates few jobs your telling the industries that do make jobs, manufacturing, to get the hell out, we want 100 jobs not 10000
Because it's huge profits (both in terms of the company and the amount the government make on tax) but more costly initially for them to make the game - one that'll sell at any rate.

It's not all about the jobs, and these are jobs that are applying to a more limited skill set anyway.