Sales of PC games set to soar

Interactive-entertainment research specialists DFC Intelligence has predicted that the global PC game market could be valued at $13 billion by the year 2012.

Analysts at the US-based research firm believe much of the PC market's growth will come as a direct result of online gaming revenue, which includes in-game advertising, digital distribution and subscriptions. An older report published by the firm earlier in the year showed the PC market generated $4.5 billion in revenues last year.

Besides surges in the PC gaming market, DFC also claims the market for handheld gaming systems, such as the Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP), and next generation living-room systems, like the PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360, are on the rise.

Using a separate forecasting model, DFC estimates the total worldwide sales for PCs, handhelds and living-room systems will reach between 180 million to 210 million units by the year 2012.

DFC, which published its first official report in 1995, also estimates the entire gaming market, comprising revenue from console gaming hardware and software, dedicated handheld gaming systems, online PC gaming services and PC games, could be worth $47 billion by 2009. The industry was worth $33 billion last year.