If GameStop sales figures for the last nine weeks of 2006 are any indication of where the game industry is heading in this new year, industry bean counters should be especially pleased. GameStop revealed staggering figures today, announcing that it pulled in more than $1.7 billion during the final nine weeks of 2006. The figure is an increase of about 29% when compared to the same period in 2005.
GameStop CEO Richard Fontaine described the period as "one of the most successful ever" for the video game retail outlet. Fontaine pointed to the store employees as a critical factor in the success for last year. "It was a season that rewarded the knowledge and advice given by our seasoned managers and game playing associates throughout the company."
Fontaine also stated that the increase in numbers was also due to a wider base of gaming customers–thanks to the strengthening of the casual gaming market. The new breed of gamers may start to influence the direction of the video game through their immense buying power and taste for entertaining games that can be picked up and played easily. If this trend continues, it may cause a shift of the game content paradigm from traditional shooters and sports titles to more casual games like Viva Pi
