New study from Entertainment Software Association also shows industry’s widespread impact on employment (11,000 jobs) and other aspects of life in the state
Video games have a presence in New York that extends well beyond those who play them. Indeed, the Empire State is one of the largest contributors to economic output and employment for the video game industry.
A new study from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) shows the video game industry in New York state generates $2.07 billion in annual economic output, either through direct industry output ($976 million) or via other participants in the video game ecosystem, such as suppliers and other supported output ($1.1 billion). That ranks the state fifth nationally in economic output, behind California, Washington, Texas and Florida.
Also, the video game industry accounts for about 11,000 jobs in New York, either directly through industry jobs (about 5,000) or through supplier and other supported jobs (about 6,000)—ranking fifth nationally.
Overall, the U.S. video game industry’s annual economic output is $90.3 billion, and it accounts for nearly 429,000 jobs.
These are among several key findings from “Video Games in the 21st Century: The 2020 Economic Impact Report,” a review of the industry and its wide-ranging impacts released today by the ESAhttps://www.theesa.com/. The report outlines ongoing advancements in technology and vast participation in gameplay that transcends all demographics (in fact, one in three citizens of the world play video games).
The report also lists the top 10 U.S. states ranked by total video game industry-related economic effect. Including New York, they are:
| STATE | Total Economic Output | Total Employment (jobs, approx.) |
| 1. California | $51.8 billion | 218,090 |
| 2. Washington | $11.6 billion | 48,808 |
| 3. Texas | $4.15 billion | 24,972 |
| 4. Florida | $2.7 billion | 16,270 |
| 5. New York | $2.07 billion | 11,062 |
| 6. Nevada | $1.9 billion | 10,394 |
| 7. Minnesota | $1.8 billion | 6,610 |
| 8. Idaho | $1.64 billion | 7,189 |
| 9. Illinois | $1.3 billion | 8,112 |
| 10. North Carolina | $1.25 billion | 7,497 |
Video games are vital in numerous other aspects of American life. As detailed in the ESA’s “2020 Essential Facts About the Video Game Industry,” Americans across age, gender and other demographic measures find many positive benefits to video games. For instance:
- More than 214 million Americans play video games
- 64% of U.S. adults and 70% percent of those under 18 regularly play video games
- The average age of a gamer is 35-44 years old
Further, the report outlines its impact in developing innovative, far-reaching technologies, such as virtual reality, advanced computing and machine learning.
“Video games are a source of much-needed entertainment, stress relief, escape and social interaction,” ESA President and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis said. “The statistics in this detailed report reinforce the significant impact video games have on the U.S. and state economies, including job creation and providing family-sustaining wages in a wide array of careers.”
“Video Games in the 21st Century: The 2020 Economic Impact Report” was prepared for the ESA by TEConomy Partners, LLC, a global leader in research, analysis and strategy for innovation-driven economic development.
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