Who says video games are doomed? They’ve never been stronger, and they’re growing stronger by the year still. In the US, for instance, the industry earned a staggering $36 billion in revenues in 2017, which represents a strong 18% year on year growth, the NPD Group has confirmed (via VentureBeat).
A lot of the increase was presumably driven by the launch of the Nintendo Switch, and its strong performance through the year; continued strong showings for the PS4, and the launch of the Xbox One X near the end of the year, can only have helped, too.
“2017 was a special year for the industry and for everyone who loves games,” said Mat Piscatella, The NPD Group’s video game industry analyst, in a press release sent to GamesBeat. “Developers created content that delighted gamers across all gaming platforms. From mobile to PC, and from console to virtual reality, growth was achieved because the passion of gamers was matched only by the talent of game makers.”
What will be interesting will be seeing whether the industry can maintain its pattern of growth this year- there is no new system launch, the 3DS is on its way out, and the PS4 and Xbox One are in their fifth year on the market. If the industry manages to post growth nonetheless, it will be truly remarkable.