ABSTRACT
The electronic games industry is not new – having existed offline for over thirty years – but is becoming a much more significant part of the media with games revenue exceeding film theatre revenue in many markets. Formerly a console-based, discrete activity, it is rapidly developing into a broadband-enabled online activity, with massive multiplayer gaming having originated in broadband pioneer South Korea. According to Price Waterhouse Coopers,1 the global entertainment and media industries are expected to see accelerated growth of 7.3 per cent and will reach $1.8 trillion in annual sales by 2009. The global video game market is expected to be the fastestgrowing component and increased from $25.4 billion in revenue in 2004 to almost $55 billion in 2009, growing at a 16.5 per cent compound annual rate. The introduction of the next-generation broadband-enabled consoles, as well as the continued growth of handheld and mobile gaming, will be key drivers of growth. The PC game market will continue to shrink with game sales projected to decline from $771 million in 2004 to $655 million in 2009 (see Figure 8.1).
