Earlier this week the NPD Group released Canadian gaming sales figures for the years 2005 - 2007 and YTD for 2008. The totals paint a rosy picture for the gaming industry in Canada, and indicate significant year-over-year growth over the last four years. The revenue numbers for 2005 - 2007 are:2005 - $765 million
2006 - $933 million
2007 - 1.531 billion
2008 is already shaping up to be an even better year for gaming in Canada, with hardware, software and accessories totalling $1.6 billion through November. According to NPD figures, December 2007 brought in $396 milllion in sales revenue. Assuming sales this December equal or better 2007, gaming revenue in Canada may top $2 billion for the year.
Unsurprisingly, Nintendo's Wii dominated the Canadian market so far this year, with cumulative hardware sales equalling 695,000. Xbox 360 squeaks into second place with 343,000 and PS3 trails the pack at 326,000. That has to be depressing news for Sony as they handily beat the 360 in Q1 and Q2 this year. It looks like the 360 price cuts were effective in boosting sales at the cash register this holiday season.
Overall, it's great to see such momentum here in Canada. Given such prolific growth in the games industry, it's no wonder so many retailers want a larger piece of the pie. It's also no wonder that Hollywood is a little on edge this year.
Source: Wii dominates Canadian video game sales [Metro News]