UK Game Sales Increase 7.5% in 2014, Retail Sales Down 6.6%, Digital Sales Up 18.8% - News
by William D'Angelo , posted on 01 January 2015 / 4,993 Views
Video game software sales in the UK in 2014 have increased by 7.5 percent year-over-year to £2.5 billion. That makes gaming the biggest entertainment industry in the UK, topping both movies and music. Movies brought in £2.18 billion, while music brought in £1.03 billion.
"2014 was a remarkably successful year for retailers and digital services as they continued to invest in the future of the entertainment business," said Entertainment Retailer’s Association director general Kim Bayley. "More than half of entertainment revenues now come from retail channels which did not even exist a decade ago."
"Too often the debate about the future of entertainment is portrayed as a battle between physical and digital. This second successive year of growth demonstrates entertainment is becoming a mixed, multi-channel economy in which streaming, digital and physical formats can both prosper, each satisfying different consumer needs."
Breaking down the video game sales, there is a clear trend. Sales at retail decreased by 6.6 percent in 2014 to £948.5 million, while digital sales grew by 18.8 percent to £1.5 billion. Digital sales includes games sold on consoles online, mobile and tablets.
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A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel dedicated to gaming Let's Plays and tutorials. Outside, in the real world, he has a passion for the outdoors which includes everything from hiking to having received his B.A. in Environmental Studies. You can contact the author at wdangelo@vgchartz.com or on Twitter @TrunksWD.
