New Zealand video game sales continue upward trajectory

Tāmaki Makaurau – The demand for video games in New Zealand continues to explode according to consumer sales data released today by the Interactive Games and Entertainment Association (IGEA). 

In 2021, Kiwis spent over $540 million on video games and consoles. Video game hardware sales were almost $71 million, leading to strong software sales in both digital and physical formats. 

New Zealand gamers are mostly purchasing products in a digital format and also love mobile games with sales exceeding $197 million in 2021.

IGEA has recently updated agreements with data suppliers sourcing consumer sales from games sales data (GSD) and Newzoo. 

Newzoo is a provider of games market data and insights. The data provided to IGEA is sourced from the Newzoo global games market report April 2022.

GSD reports on major publisher and hardware sales in both physical and digital format across numerous international markets, while Newzoo reports on game sales data globally.

Working with IGEA members, we ensured both sources offer reliable and consistent consumer sales data from around the world that identifies global trends. Newzoo also provides subscription data which is essential when looking at how subscription services impact the way Australians are now playing games.

New Zealand’s market for digital PC and console games grew again year on year to $225 million. The growing install base for game consoles as well as further lockdown measures lead to an overall growth in sales for 2021. 

The market for mobile games grew faster than any other segment, but unlike the global average, New Zealand’s PC and console markets are still larger than its mobile market. 

Total New Zealand video game spending was in growth for 2021 driven by a sizeable increase in hardware sales year-on-year.

This was largely due to the heightened availability of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S throughout the year, but also the increasing relevance of Nintendo Switch in the New Zealand market.