ELSPA has announced that the UK interactive entertainment market has hit an all time high in 2005, up by 0.7% on 2004's figures.
Despite being a transition year for the industry, with the period before the launch of next generation hardware expected to see slowing software sales, ELSPA has announced new record figures. Sales of interactive entertainment software across all formats totalled £1.35 billion, up by 0.7% on the previous year.
"We are now starting to see a trend in the market where software sales continue to rise even during the cycle before the introduction of exciting new technologies, with software publishers fully exploiting the tried and tested current hardware platforms. It is a testament to the strategic marketing initiatives of the entire industry that, despite being a transition year between current and next-generation hardware, our industry has still continued to gain momentum," said Roger Bennett, director general of ELSPA.
The launch of the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP made substantial contributions in 2005, with both handhelds performing well since their respective launches. As for the best selling game of the year, that honour goes to EA's FIFA 06, with Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer taking the second spot. EA have four of the ten top selling games, with FIFA 06 joined by Need for Speed: Most Wanted (No.3), FIFA Street (No.6) and The Sims 2 (No.10).
Top ten hits of 2005:
1. FIFA 06- EA Sports
2. Pro Evolution Soccer 5 - Konami
3. Need for Speed: Most Wanted - EA Games
4. Gran Turismo 4 - Sony Computer Entertainment
5. Star Wars EP III: Revenge of the Sith - LucasArts
6. FIFA Street - EA Sports
7. Star Wars: Battlefront II - LucasArts
8. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Rockstar
9. King Kong: Official Game of the Movie - Ubisoft
10. The Sims 2 - EA Games
