Advertising and Video Games

        Video games used to be so popular just among teenage boys. However,  in recent years, "over 40% of U.S. households own a video game console system, and more than 120 million people regularly play video games on their PC or on a console, according to DFC Intelligence. Strategy Analytics predicts the video game console installed base should reach 150 million worldwide by 2010."  It seems that gaming has become mainstream in U.S.

         In the past, marketers had traditionally shied away from gaming since the teenage boys had less purchasing power."But recent advances in animation and in communications technology mean that today’s games offer much more variety – and they appeal to multiple demographics, including men, women and seniors.
       "In fact, the gaming industry now generates more revenue than box office sales, movie rentals, and book and music sales. In 2006, video game revenues soared to $12.6 billion (+19% year to year), compared to U.S. box office receipts at $9.5 billion, flat from 2005. Worldwide, video game and interactive entertainment revenue reached $33 billion in 2006. According to Jupiter Research, the time U.S. teens spend with video games is now on par with radio, mobile devices, and music, and right behind watching television."

--Yi