According to the ESA and NPD Group, the U.S. computer and video game industry raked in $30.4 billion in revenue for the 2016 fiscal year. This total includes all revenue from software, in-game purchases, hardware, and software. This figure shows a slight increase from the $30.2 billion in revenue the industry received in 2015.

ESA CEO Micheal D. Gallagher stated, "2016 was another enormous year for the interactive entertainment industry." The ESA highlighted a 6 percent growth in software sales from 2015, with $24.5 billion in revenue generated in 2016 as opposed to $23.2 billion in 2015.

The NPD Group stated that growth was seen in entertainment software across the mobile, PC, VR, subscription-based, portable, and digital console segments of the industry. NPD points to more consumer option in software delivery helping fuel the increased revenue.

It's good to see that our industry continues to thrive, with a record number of titles hitting PC and handheld titles like Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon achieving the highest launch month sales in the history of the franchise. With the release of Resident Evil 7 and the impending release of the Nintendo Switch and Mass Effect: Andromeda, it looks like 2017 looks to be another great year for gaming.