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Beyond Games: The 21st Century’s Most Successful Entertainment Sector

The value of the games market has quadrupled since 2000, making videogames the most successful entertainment sector of the 21st century

Gaming is officially the most successful entertainment sector of the 21st century, according to new analysis from the Entertainment Retailers Association (ERA).

Thanks to the rise of gaming across all platforms, with mobile and digital gaming providing a particular spike, the retail value of the UK games sector was four-and-a-half times larger in 2020 at €4.43 billion than it was in 2000.

The figures were released alongside the recent Beyond Games Summit, which took place from May 10th-14th, where ERA CEO Kim Bayley discussed the lessons other sectors can learn from gaming.

In 2000 games lagged behind the music and video sectors also represented by the ERA. As of 2020 it is now by far the largest. At 47.8% of the combined music, video and games sectors which ERA represents, gaming is nearly as big as the video and music sectors combined.

The rise of gaming offers many lessons to the rest of the entertainment industry from its whole hearted embrace of technology to its diversity of channels for consumers to its entrepreneurial drive to its refusal to be limited by old business models,“ she said. “In answering the demand of consumers for immersive experiences, it is the leading 21st century entertainment sector.

Kim Bayley, CEO – ERA

Written By

Brian has been working in the games industry since the mid-1990s, when he joined the legendary studio DMA Design, as a writer on the original Grand Theft Auto. Since then he's worked with major publishers, founded his own digital agency, and the Scottish Games Network. At various times he's worked as a journalist, editor, narrative designer, lecturer, executive producer, and director.

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