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Games Industry Growth Outpacing US Economy
Gamasutra is reporting that the Entertainment Software Association believes the games industry has outstripped the US economy as a whole. In fact, the group found that the industry grew by an astonishing 17% between 2003-2006, some 13% faster than the general US economy. "The ESA states that the video game industry contributed $3.8 billion to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product in 2006. Though 24,000 are directly employed, according to the report in total 80,000 are employed directly and indirectly by the industry in 31 states and U.S.-based game industry employees received a total of $2.2 billion in compensation. Predictably, California is the largest employer in the video game industry, accounting for around 40% of the nation's industry jobs. California industry growth was 12.3% last year, which the ESA claims is "nearly three times faster" than the state's overall growth."
It's likely eating at other parts of the entertainment industry. $50 and 20h spent on COD 4 is $50 and 20h not spend going to movies or buying CD's. Music and cinema have declined in the last 10 years. This may be why (not piracy).
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
I'm not being facetious in asking why the growth RATE of the games industry being higher than the growth rate of the economy is a big deal? Don't all new technology industries have higher growth rates than the economy as a whole?
Children growth outpacing adults. We're doomed!
...seeing as how nowadays you can outpace the US economy just by not tanking.
That is an extremely arrogant point of view to have.
;low in terms of quality products.
Britain and Japan both have amazingly good game makers and no single country really excels above the others, they're just better in some areas in general. One could argue that the US's biggest games company is EA, which most Slashdotters at least see as the lowest of the
I like muppets.
You have to use currency conversion in order to make that work.
Assuming an exchange rate of $10 to one chicken (the cost in the store, live chickens may be less, chicks SIGNIFICANTLY less.) The game industry would only be contributing a whopping 380 million chickens.
Now imaging batering in crickets. Crickets cost only $0.10! That would work out to 38 BILLION crickets. Now that is ALOT.
You could also go crazy and barter with something that has no value at all, like dog shit. Now you get an INFINATE amount of dog shit that you can bater with.
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most of us still can't break into the industry! go figure.
They're using their grammar skills there.
...this means nothing. The game industry is a subset of the US economy. (partially) This means that it balances out with industries that arent doing so well. (housing, for instance) Consider it like this:
If we take the average of five numbers: 3,4,5,6,7
average is 5
if we raise one number (the 4), we have: 3,5,5,6,7
the average is now 5.2
one number went up 25%
the average went up 4%
if the trend continues, but a different number (the 5) goes down, but half as fast, then we still have a net increase, but the number that started as 4 has a much higher rate of increase.
You can do it my way.
/., the thought of working at MS is unpalatable. I'm just saying.
Keep trying to find a position at Microsoft until you get one. Once you do, then they'll relocate you to the Seattle area. Spend a couple years on the team doing good work and befriending people on the Xbox team until positions open up. Start applying for them.
Here I am, working on the Xbox, and I love it. And now that I have experience in the game industry, it'll be a lot easier to continue to stay in it should I want to leave Microsoft.
Yes, I realize that to most people on
"You know your god is man-made when he hates all the same people you do."
More people are spending more time gaming and less time working :-)
Moderator hint: a comment is neither "Flamebait" nor "Troll" if it is true.