UK game sales up by 19 percent

Reports show strong sales in the first six months of 2007 in the UK, with Nintendo dominating on the console front.

Game sales in the UK totalled £519 million (approx $1 billion) in the first six months of 2007, according to data from industry body ELSPA and game sales compiler Chart-Track. These figures were up 19 percent on the same period in 2006, and 17 percent on the second half of last year, including the busy holiday season.

The total number of game units sold across all formats between the beginning of January and end of June was over 26 million. Hardware sales were up 51 percent on number of units sold, with the release of the Wii on December 8, and the PlayStation 3 on March 23. Revenues brought in by hardware came to £405 million ($814 million), which is a massive 87-percent increase over last year.

Nintendo is currently winning the console sales race, as its DS handheld accounted for a total of 72 percent of all handhelds sold. The Wii was also doing well despite some previous supply issues.

Total revenues for gaming gear sold, including software, hardware, and accessories, came to over £1 billion ($2 billion), a 42-percent increase on last year.

ELSPA's director general, Paul Jackson, commented, "We are thrilled to see the industry thriving and not only growing but soaring. With so many excellent titles now available for all ages, appealing to a wide audience, the industry is stronger than ever. The speed of the growth of the games industry is testament to the creativity, technology and diversity which is employed by the modern games business."

However, Jackson expressed concern for the UK games industry despite the bumper figures, stating that it believed the future of this "buoyant economy" was at risk from other countries such as Canada, which provides "massive" tax incentives to games companies based there.

29 Comments

  • diamond2d

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 5:11 pm GMT

    Expect game sales to be even higher in the future. Think when every one will be on there PS4 or Xbox 720 or Nintendo..........Poo lmao.....No? thought not. The future is still to written...........

  • lanista

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 10:38 am GMT

    "Olly464 Ianista,

    Oh and lets try and keep this the only board atm to not talk about "PS3 sales and profits" xD thanks"

    Well this topic is about sales, including hardware and PS3, so I believe I have stayed on topic and my comments are therefore relevant to the discussion.

    Cheers

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 4:24 am GMT

    This doesn't surprise me. After all, the X360 really got a bunch of great games by the 4th quarter last year, and the Wii and the PS3 launched last November. And the DS and PSP are cheaper and hotter than ever. All around, things are good.

  • Olly464

    Posted Jul 9, 2007 3:34 am GMT

    aramitz is right

  • sja28

    Posted Jul 8, 2007 10:43 pm GMT

    hey uk and euu you just got smack on the face by sony yes they anounce a ps3 elite 80gb and yes they drop the price for the ps3 60gb by 100 but guess what thats only in the us sorry thats how sony plays ms did give world wide 3 yrs warranty

  • aramitz

    Posted Jul 8, 2007 10:25 am GMT

    Once everyone actually has the wii console and their initial 'first game' however, watch the figures hastily decline. How many bowling and tennis games does the average non-gamer need afterall?

  • General_Gustaf

    Posted Jul 8, 2007 8:31 am GMT

    Schmenon, do you live in a sony shop? It would seem so, as everywhere else in england, the PS3 is widely regarded as being raped by the Wii60.

  • whizzedOUTwoz

    Posted Jul 8, 2007 6:45 am GMT

    Blu-Ray will never replace DVD not this generation anyway.

  • Olly464

    Posted Jul 8, 2007 4:54 am GMT

    Ianista,

    What your saying is true, and I think in the future, especially if Blu-ray starts to replace DVDs, people will buy the PS3 for viewing films, but also I think companies like Sony and Hitachi will make the players for much less, and build them into TVs, so on. Oh and lets try and keep this the only board atm to not talk about "PS3 sales and profits" xD thanks

  • lanista

    Posted Jul 8, 2007 12:52 am GMT

    "Olly464 My bet is that this is caused by gaming in the UK to be accepted as "sociable". Playing on the Wii or PS3 is now a "cool" way to spend time, unlike before where only nerds and wierdos were to play Mario and, heaven forbid, Japanese imports! :O"

    Yes, I think the DS has caused a wider section of the public to purchase a handheld and games like brain age

    However, the PS3 sales is the only console this gen that can be bought as a high-def movie player and not for games. How many are doing so I don't know, but it's one of the cheapest Blu-Ray player in the UK at the moment

    So we'll never fully be able to equate PS3 sales and profits as being related to gaming

  • bigmick07

    Posted Jul 7, 2007 5:16 pm GMT

    Our favorite hobby is growing into a big time industry, i can't wait untill video games get the recongnition and respect that they deserve.

  • whizzedOUTwoz

    Posted Jul 7, 2007 10:11 am GMT

    Lol at ShmenonPie, PS3 game unit sales was 930.000 compaired to the 360 which is at 3.140.000 this is from January to June 2007.

    And the Wii sold 1.517.000 game units in the sametime.

    So think before you open your mouth.

  • ShmenonPie

    Posted Jul 7, 2007 9:11 am GMT

    Yay! Go Media Molecule (LittleBigWorld), Evolution Studios (Motorstorm), Rockstar Leeds (GTA Liberty City Stories), Chemistry (To End All Wars), EA UK (Burnout Dominator), and all the other great UK games studios that bring us high quality entertainment. And also, the rise is probably due to the success of the PS3, as where I live in England, it's way more popular than the Wii or 360.

  • Olly464

    Posted Jul 7, 2007 8:15 am GMT

    My bet is that this is caused by gaming in the UK to be accepted as "sociable". Playing on the Wii or PS3 is now a "cool" way to spend time, unlike before where only nerds and wierdos were to play Mario and, heaven forbid, Japanese imports! :O

  • lanista

    Posted Jul 7, 2007 1:23 am GMT

    I don't see this as a surprise

    New consoles have caused a resurgence of interest in gaming

    Somewhat concerned about the lack of support to UK developers though !!! Means the UK won't get as much of a share in the growing profits, and with next-gen games being more expensive to create, that means fewer opportunities for UK firms to be part of the growth

  • kavadias1981

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 10:51 pm GMT

    Well I haven't contributed. I've been playing the American version of Pokemon Pearl and Shenmue for my Dreamcast, since May.

    Hasn't really been anything worth buying here in the UK recently.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 5:43 pm GMT

    cool, its good that sales are up

  • Samurai_Budgie

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 1:01 pm GMT

    This is hardly surprising what with the Wii and PS3's recent release. Naturally game prices have gone up again with them and just as many if not more are still buying them.

  • GANGSTASAN

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 12:44 pm GMT

    yh good for uk

  • diablobasher

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 12:10 pm GMT

    Dunno about the rest of the planet, but Southampton in the UK had some initial Wii shortages, but the past like 3months theyve been in stock pretty much everywhere quite regularly.

  • diablobasher

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 12:08 pm GMT

    This is because i got a job

  • steven141

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 11:57 am GMT

    At least the industry here is rising, as usual =)

  • agg4000

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 10:11 am GMT

    "some previous supply issues."- HAH, it's damn near impossible to find a Nunchuk and the consoles are still pretty rare, theres retailers and people on ebay taking advantage of the demand and low quantities by selling accesories and consoles are higher prices! We need help Nintendo! Stop being lame and give us some stock!

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 9:32 am GMT

    And yet the Wii hardly ever makes the 10 top sold list on here

  • teknicz

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 8:56 am GMT

    Insert random positive comment here.

  • jacky531

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 8:11 am GMT

    This is good news for the UK gameing citizens

  • westsidejedi360

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 7:58 am GMT

    If it says the Wii HAD some supply problems, does that mean i can get a Wii soon? AWESOME!

  • ski11buzz

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 7:37 am GMT

    good news for everyone

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Jul 6, 2007 7:25 am GMT

    Nice to see the industry rebound

advertisement

Hot Stories

Newsmakers

Featured Stories

Tags

elspa   sales   uk   uk game sales

Submit News

Got tips? Send them in!