2019 isn’t even over yet, and US players have already spent over $27 billion so far this year. A new report published by US-based market research company The NPD Group has revealed that for the period starting January 1 through September 30, players in the country spent a whopping $27.9 billion on videogame products and related services. According to IMF data, that’s more than Cambodia’s GDP this year.
According to research reported by the NPD (via GamesIndustry), this mammoth number is an increase of 1% on the figure from the same period last year, with Q3 (July 1 through September 30) accounting for a pretty ginormous $9.18 billion alone – also marking a 1% increase from Q3 last year.
From the NPD’s findings, it seems that the period has seen “double-digit percentage gains” across “digital console content, mobile and subscription spending,” but fewer sales across some other areas – for example, digital PC content and hardware – which means those gains have to an extent been offset.
Interestingly, the company reports that among some of the best-performing games of Q3 were Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto V, along with the more recent Borderlands 3, Fortnite, NBA 2K20, and Madden NFL 20.
$27.9 billion is an impressive figure – especially given all those free Steam games out there – and with some big titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Watch Dogs Legion, and more due to arrive next year, perhaps that number will continue to grow.