The report sponsored by the GDAA, Queensland Government and Victorian Government shows the Australian electronic game industry now generates revenues of approximately $110 million per annum and directly employs approximately 1600 people of which 1350 are permanent staff and 250 are contract staff. This represents a 60% increase on 3 years ago.

“Turnover and employment are also concentrated in Victoria and Queensland, which collectively are the location for around 80% of industry activity.

The sector is a high skill and high wage industry with average wages above the national full time earnings average ($57,000 per annum) for most job classifications within the electronic game industry.

The industry has a high export orientation, with the larger companies within the sector in particular being primarily export focused.

All of the largest 10 companies are more than 80% export oriented and most of them are more than 95% export oriented. Overall industry export revenues are estimated to account for over 90% of total industry revenues."

Evelyn Richardson, GDAA President and CEO, said she was extremely pleased see the report findings: “that over 85% of companies within the industry now engage in the development of their own intellectual property assets and half of the companies that don’t currently do so plan to in the future.”

“This expectation is in line with a highly growth oriented outlook within the industry.

Over 90% of companies expect to grow during the next three years and 70% of companies expect to increase their level of investment in own intellectual property development over the next three years."

Richardson said the survey reinforces the fact the industry is a significant high growth and export orientated sector, “however it also reminds us of the need to address the two key issues affecting the industry which are, attracting the talent and investment needed to power the industry into the next decade.”