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What Country Leads the Video Game Industry?

Video games aren't simply a pastime for American youth. Many of the games you know and love are created by foreign companies, and foreign audiences are buying more of them. Different countries buy more of different sorts of games, from PC games to online games to console titles. Although the U.S. still leads the market, growth is occurring worldwide in a variety of places.

The Leader in Video Games
- The United States remains the leader in the video game industry. The market for video games in the United States is the largest in the world. According to researchers at Duke University, the market for video games in the United States grew from $7 billion to $15.5 billion from 2003 to 2008. The market is projected to increase to more than $20 billion by 2013.
A Growing Market
- Although the United States remains the clear leader in the gaming industry for now, market trends are showing the video game industry posting monumental growth worldwide. In 2003, the worldwide gaming market was more than $20 billion, according to Duke University. In 2008, that market grew to $50 billion. Projections indicate that in 2013, the market will grow to more than $70 billion worldwide. With Duke projecting that the U.S. will maintain its growth in the game industry, but at a slower rate, that leaves a lot of market growth in other countries.
Other Notable Leaders
- Japan is one of the premier names in video games. Many of the major game companies are Japanese born, such as Nintendo and Sony. But the country has seen disappointing console gaming sales lately. Western Europe, however, is buying more and more games. It trails just behind the U.S., growing from a $5 billion market in 2003 to a $13.9 billion market in 2008. Projections indicate that market will grow to $19.5 billion in 2013, with much of the growth driven by computer games.
Broadband Penetration
- One of the main reasons for drastic increases in the market for video games in all leading gaming countries is broadband penetration and increasing ease of access to video games. South Korea, in particular, has experienced a boom in video game purchasing. The market increased from $1.3 billion to $4 billion from 2003 to 2009, according to Duke. Much of that growth was spurred by online gaming, which was in turn influenced by broadband penetration. South Korea has the highest broadband penetration in the world, with 70.8 percent of the country having a broadband connection in 2009.

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