Australia has become the latest nation to following the footsteps of the UK, USA and Canada (though sadly not Japan) by reporting impressive rises in the value of its video game industry in 2008.

The market reached AUD 1.96bn ($1.3bn) last year, up 47 per cent on 2007. Overall software sales climbed 57 per cent, with console sales climbing 43 per cent and peripheral sales 68 per cent.

Driving the success was the booming popularity of the casual and family games genres, with that sector jumping 137 per cent in value.

“Sales figures for the past two years actually show that the industry has grown over 112 per cent since 2006,” Interactive Entertainment Association of Australia CEO Ron Curry stated. “The industry has really witnessed phenomenal growth, which has largely been driven by people playing games together.

“There is a huge variety of games now on the market, with a wide selection for the entire family as well as specifically for adults, and it's a great way for people to spend time together.”