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Video and online markets

Value of retail sales of games hardware and software, 2000–2009 and 2010–2013

2010–2013 | 2000–2009

Next update March 2015

The annual value of retail gaming has been in steady decline since peaking in 2009 at close to $2 billion. From 2012 to 2013, the total value of the market remained relatively static; however the moderation of the year-on-year decline was largely due to a 28 per cent increase in the sales of consoles. While there were small gains in some categories (console accessories and PC games sub-cards) most experienced a decline in sales.

Hardware

Software
Two graphs: Value of retail sales of games - hardware and software. The following table provides the data.
 

2010–2013

  Retail sales ($m)
2010 2011 2012 2013
Hardware
Portable1 136.2 120.4 81.7 63.0
Portable game accessories 10.3 11.6 10.1 6.8
Consoles 380.4 322.4 213.0 271.8
Console accessories 143.7 136.1 135.8 138.6
Total hardware 670.6 590.5 440.6 480.2
Software
Portable games2 127.3 109.3 75.0 62.8
Console games2 800.2 708.2 537.3 531.6
PC games2 122.9 83.5 82.7 59.8
Gaming guides <1.0 1.1 <1.0 <1.0
Total software 1051.4 902.1 695.9 654.9
Total value 1722.0 1492.6 1136.5 1135.1

Source: The NPD Group Australia. For data prior to 2011, GfK Retail and Technology Australia. Data may only be reproduced with permission.

Notes: Due to a change in methodology in 2013, data for the years 2010-2012 was republished. Differences in the total value of the market for this period are comparatively insignificant and do not contradict the downward trend identified by previously published data.
Figures may not total exactly due to rounding.
1. Handheld portable devices whose main purpose is gaming. Does not include smartphones, tablets or multi-purpose devices.
2. Includes sales of game cards.

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2000–2009

During the 2000s, the total value of the retail gaming market rose from $393 million in 2000 to a market high of $1,997 million in 2009, an increase of 408 per cent over 10 years. The biggest gains in this period were in the sales of consoles, increasing from $107 million in 2000 to $706 million in 2009.

In 2007, total hardware sales experienced 76 per cent growth over the previous year, the largest year-on-year increase for the decade. Sales of consoles were the greatest contributor to this growth with an 85 per cent increase from 2006.

Total software sales rose by 50 per cent in 2008, the category’s biggest percentage increase for the decade. This was driven largely by the sale of console games which increased by 59 per cent over the previous year.

A change in methodology in 2013, and applied retrospectively to 2010, necessitated a break in the time series. Caution should be taken when making comparisons with subsequent years.

  Retail sales ($m)
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
Hardware
Consoles 107.0 183.6 291.8 245.6 189.3 215.5 269.9 499.7 719.1 706.2
Peripherals 32.0 44.1 72.1 64.2 62.5 56.4 58.6 78.2 118.8 148.1
Total hardware 138.9 227.7 363.9 309.8 251.8 271.9 328.5 577.9 837.9 854.3
Software
Console games 174.8 196.5 270.3 343.8 428.7 468.1 476.9 625.5 996.6 1,031.9
Computer games 66.7 84.6 91.1 88.9 100.1 114.1 114.3 121.7 127.0 109.0
Edutainment 12.6 14.3 11.1 8.6 7.1 7.2 5.1 3.2 2.2 2.3
Total software 254.1 295.4 372.4 441.2 536.0 589.4 596.3 750.4 1,125.9 1,143.2
Total value 393.0 523.1 736.3 751.0 787.8 861.3 924.8 1,328.3 1,963.7 1,997.5

Source: GfK Retail and Technology Australia. Data may only be reproduced with permission.

Notes: Figures may not total exactly due to rounding.

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About the data