Video Games Have Reportedly Contributed Over $90 Billion to U.S. Economy

A report from the ESA has stated that video games have had a major impact on the U.S. economy in terms of both growth and jobs.

Public opinion of video games has really shifted as the years have gone on. Once a hobby that many of us thought was a “niche” or “nerdy” hobby has gone on to become one of the most profitable sources in the entertainment industry. A new study from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) shows that the video game industry has provided a significant impact on the U.S. economy, both in terms of growth and jobs.

The report states that the U.S. video game industry in 2019 generated $90.3 billion in economic output. On top of that, the industry supported close to 429,000 jobs. This number includes 143,000 people who are directly employed by the industry and average over $121,000 in annual compensation. $12.6 billion in federal, state, and local taxes have also come from video game-related activity.

On top of that, the report from the ESA also breaks down the top ten states that have contributed the most to the U.S. economy directly from the video game industry. You can take a look at the list below. I think you can guess which state is sitting on top of the list.

Stanley Pierre-Louis shared some thoughts on how video games have affected the economy. He stated: “The statistics in this detailed report reinforce the significant impact video games have on the U.S. economy, including jobs creation and providing family-sustaining wages in wide array of careers. As a convergence point for leadership in software, hardware, entertainment and creative arts, the video game ecosystem generates the kind of innovation critical to economic growth and this report helps share that story in a new and comprehensive way.”

Video games have been proven to make you happier and improve your mental health. Now that video games are having such a positive impact on the U.S. economy, I don’t know what else people can negatively say about them.

[source: DualShockers]