Kiwi game industry records best year ever

New Zealand gamers spent up large last year, increasing the market by 12 per cent.

Kiwi gamers were oblivious to international financial woes last year, with the New Zealand industry clocking up a record year.

Data compiled by independent Australian market research group GFK Retail and Technology put the Kiwi market at $170m for the 2009 calendar year - up 12 per cent from 2008.

A nice bonus was that New Zealand beat Australia's 4 per cent growth.

The record amount includes sales of hardware, peripherals and boxed software, but doesn't include online retail, downloadable content, online game subscriptions or mobile phone games.

"Despite the economic challenges of the last 12 months, interactive gaming has proven to offer families good value entertainment," says Mark Goodacre, president of the Interactive Software Association.

This is echoed by the success of the 'family' genre, which was the fastest growing segment, up a massive 34 per cent.

Hardware sales increased by 13.51% per cent from last year and software sales remain steady with 1.132 million units sold in 2009 compared to 1.075 million units sold in 2008.

"New Zealand's interactive gaming industry continues to buck global trends and achieve steady growth in sales despite last year's tough economic climate," said Goodacre.

"Video games have joined mainstream entertainment as a popular pastime that involves the entire family."

ISANZ members include Microsoft, Sony, Electronic Arts, Mad Man, Monarco Corp, Atari, Total Interactive and Take Two.

- NZ HERALD STAFF