Report: 'Games outsold movies in 2009'

More money was spent on games than movies in the UK this year, according to The Daily Telegraph.


Research conducted by the newspaper suggests that the video game industry has become more profitable than its film counterpart. The statistics pitted hardware and software sales against trips to the cinema and DVD sales.

"This is the clearest evidence yet that the video games market has come of age and transformed itself from a niche form of entertainment for teenage boys into a mainstream form of entertainment for millions of British families," the article read.

Over a 12-month period ending September 2009, GFK Chart-Track figures reveal that £1.73 billion was spent on games. Stats from the UK Film Council confirmed that £1 billion was spent at the UK Box Office, and a further £198 million on DVD and Blu-ray. Only television and music reported a greater profit margin.

Former cabinet minister Tom Watson said that the games industry should be taken more seriously in light of the stats. "Like anything digital, Parliament has a very narrow view of video games. Too many politicians think video games are played by teenage boys staying up all night shooting things in their bedroom," he said.

"And yes there are plenty of those, but there is also a huge range of people of many different ages who love playing games. The industry has matured over the last decade, and so too have gamers."