GAMES LEAD ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY
Copyright 2001 www.tombraiderchronicles.com Source: BBC

[ January 18th 2001 ]

Computer games are becoming more popular than movies with British software designers becoming the most popular in the world, the BBC reports today, claiming that the Christmas release of Sony's Playstation 2 has sent the games industry into overdrive.

"In just over a month British consumers bought nearly 500,000 pieces of software for the new console. Britain is now the third largest market for games in the world - behind the United States and Japan. Last year it was worth £1bn - more than visits to the cinema and video rentals. Britain's designers were responsible for some of last year's most popular games - including Tomb Raider. Next month sees the launch of one of the most eagerly awaited British games of the year - Black and White."

The sudden phenomenal rise of unit sales has been attributed to the gradual fall of software prices, and the anticipated release of Microsoft's XBOX early next year will boost the current video games trend to a new level.