According to a new report from Media Control GfK International (cited by Video Business), global sales of video game software reached US$32 billion last year, growing 20 percent in large part thanks to the booming Wii business. At the same time, sales of DVDs and Blu-ray movies combined fell by six percent, bringing the home video market down to US$29 billion worldwide. This marks the first time ever that global game sales have eclipsed DVD/Blu-ray. Looking at the whole home entertainment picture, the total market grew six percent to US$61 billion in 2008.
GfK also expects the trend of video game dominance to continue. The research firm's 2009 forecast calls for global game software sales to grow 12 percent, reaching US$36 billion, while DVD and Blu-ray combined will decline another four percent to about US$27 billion. Blu-ray itself, however, is expected to more than double its market to US$2.9 billion. If GfK's forecast proves true, games will represent 57 percent of all home entertainment revenue in 2009 (up from 53 percent in 2008).
GfK said that the U.S. market in particular drove the global decline in DVDs. Combined DVD/Blu-ray sales fell eight percent in North America but just three percent in Europe and four percent in Asia Pacific. Warner Home Video lead the global home video market, and its Batman: The Dark Knight was the top selling title worldwide with over 15 million sold.
