Video Games Aren't Just Games Anymore

Anyone with eyes and ears knows about the release of the critically acclaimed video game "Grand Theft Auto 5," which was made available for purchase in this past week. It received hugely positive reviews and many awards from various game-reviewing entities. What is most amazing, however, is the sales statistics. In only its first day, GTA V grossed over $800 million. That's a tough number to conceptualize, so allow me to break it down. That's more than 9 times more than any movie has grossed on it's opening day, and more this number competes with movies that hold the record for total sales. Rockstar, the manufacturer of the game, reported that the game grossed over $1 billion in its first three days on the North American market, making it the fastest selling entertainment product in history. Frankly, this is a mind-blowing figure. And one look at the history of video gaming puts this number in an even more incredible perspective. Video gaming consoles in the home, have been around for less than 30 years, making video games one of the fastest growing industries in the nation. Video games are directly responsible for employing over 32,000 people, and those employees received a total compensation of more than $2.9 billion in 2009. Not only is the gaming industry itself huge, but competitive gaming is also quickly growing. MLG (Major League Gaming) tournaments are held throughout the year, awarding thousands of dollars to winning teams, and streaming services are rapidly expanding. For many years, video games were viewed as products for children, but with these incredible statistics, it's difficult to deny that lucrative potential of video games.