“Video game entertainment is just a passing fad.”
-- 1977, Michael Moone of Milton Bradley, then the world’s largest game company.
“Video games are a fad.”
-- 1982, New York Daily News.
“The phenomenon is over… The industry dug its own grave.”
-- 1984, New York Times.
Today, the gaming industry's annual revenue is around US$ 200 billion. To put that figure into context, here are some other industries' annual revenues:
Subscription and ad-supported of global streaming video was about US$ 217 billion in 2025, according to PwC.
Live entertainment (concerts, festivals, and related events) was about US$ 203 billion in a 2025 market estimate.
Global cinema box office was about US$ 33 billion in 2025. PwC has noted that games already far exceed movies and recorded music combined (US$ 64 billion in 2025).