The U.S. games industry contributed $90.3 billion to the country’s economy last year, according to a report from the ESA.
On top of its monetary value, the industry has also provided around 429,000 jobs in the U.S., with approximately 143,000 individuals being employed directly in the games market.
Furthermore, on average, an individual receives annual compensation of $121,000 in the U.S. games industry.
“The statistics in this detailed report reinforce the significant impact video games have on the U.S. economy, including jobs creation and providing family-sustaining wages in wide array of careers,” said ESA President and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis.
“As a convergence point for leadership in software, hardware, entertainment and creative arts, the video game ecosystem generates the kind of innovation critical to economic growth and this report helps share that story in a new and comprehensive way.”
Top states
However, when looking at the economic output from the market, California has proven to be the most lucrative state with $51.8 billion, more than $40 billion more than the $11.6 billion contributed from Washington.
Meanwhile, in third place is Texas with $4.15 billion while Florida and New York come in at No.4 and No.5 with $2.7 billion and $2.07 billion, respectively. The remaining top 10 states by economic output in the games industry are Nevada, Minnesota, Idaho, Illinois and North Carolina.
The Video Games in the 21st Century: The 2020 Economic Impact Report, follows the 2020 Essential Facts About the Video Game Industry that the ESA released earlier this year. In which it was discovered that two-thirds of Americans play games.
Over 214 million people in U.S. play games, it is a pastime that 64 per cent of adults in the country partake in. Meanwhile, 70 per cent of individuals under the age of 18 also play games.
However, in the U.S., the average age of a gamer is 35-to-44 years old.
