Australian video game industry made $1.5 billion in 2011

By CVG Australia Staff for computerandvideogames.com

The Australian interactive games industry netted $1.5 billion in 2011 according to a report by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association.

$1.5 billion may seem like a healthy figure, but according to research conducted by NPD Group Australia the total revenue from video games in 2011 actually "contracted" by 12.8 percent compared to the 2010 figure.

According to the release the $1.5 billion figure includes revenue generated from "console hardware, games software and gaming peripherals sold through retail". The figure excludes revenue from "online retail, downloadable content, online games subscriptions, in-game transactions and mobile games."

As Australian gamers increasingly turn to online retail to combat exorbitant bricks-and-mortar prices, it's no surprise the figure has contracted. One analyst at Telsyte predicts that Australians will spend over $450 million on games online in 2012. This is set to increase at a time when the industry is preparing to offer digital-only games for cheaper than their on-shelf counterparts, as Sony has done with the PS Vita.

Do you think the market research should include digital revenue? Did you spend less on games in 2011 than in 2010? Let us know in the comments section.