The U.S. economy has been in a rough state, but the video game industry has been doing its part to infuse money into the system, according to a new study from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). The study found that in 2009, the industry added almost $5 billion to the economy. Between 2005 to 2009, the industry had an annual growth rate of over 10%, more than seven times the U.S. economy’s growth rate.
The report also concludes that the industry directly employs 32,000 people, and that number increases to 120,000 if you include indirect employment. The number has been increasing annually by about 9% for the last five years. The top employers by state were California, Texas, Washington, New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois. The average annual income for employees was $89,781, and total compensation to all direct employees was $2.9 billion.
“Despite a challenging economic environment, the entertainment software industry continues to grow and create new jobs at a rapid pace,” said ESA CEO Michael Gallagher. “Computer and video game companies have made an important contribution to our nation’s economy while stimulating technological innovations and expanding the impact of games on our daily lives.”
