RECORD SALES FOR GAMES MARKET

Monday 9 January 2006/... The UK interactive entertainment software market has hit a new all time high in 2005, according to ELSPA (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) as it reveals annual performance figures today.

2005 was a transition year for the industry - the traditionally fallow period before the launch of next-generation hardware - and was generally expected to be a period of slowing software sales. However, ELSPA has announced record sales of interactive entertainment software across all formats totalling £1.35 billion, an increase of 0.7% per cent over 2004's record figures.

Roger Bennett, director general of ELSPA, said: "We are now starting to see a trend in the market where software sales continue to rise even during the cycle before the introduction of exciting new technologies, with software publishers fully exploiting the tried and tested current hardware platforms. It is a testament to the strategic marketing initiatives of the entire industry that, despite being a transition year between current and next-generation hardware, our industry has still continued to gain momentum."

The launches of the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP handheld consoles made substantial contributions in 2005, with the later launch of Microsoft's Xbox 360 further buoying the market.

Bennett continued: "The leisure software market is a UK success story in terms of economy, innovation and creativity; this we have seen demonstrated throughout 2005, and we look forward to a colossal year in 2006 with the launch of further major interactive entertainment hardware platforms."

The top ten hits of 2005:

Pos Title Publisher

1 FIFA 06- EA Sports

2 Pro Evolution Soccer 5 - Konami

3 Need for Speed: Most Wanted - EA Games

4 Gran Turismo 4 - Sony Computer Entertainment

5 Star Wars EP III: Revenge of the Sith - LucasArts

6 FIFA Street - EA Sports

7 Star Wars: Battlefront II - LucasArts

8 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - Rockstar

9 King Kong: Official Game of the Movie - Ubisoft

10 The Sims 2 - EA Games

EDITORS NOTES:

About ELSPA - http://www.elspa.com

ELSPA (The Entertainment & Leisure Software Publishers Association) was founded in 1989 to establish a specific and collective identity for the computer and video games industry. Membership includes almost all companies concerned with the publishing and distribution of interactive leisure software in the UK.

For further information, please contact:

DEBI COSTER/EMMA COWIE

BARRINGTON HARVEY

T: 01462 456780

F: 01462 456781

E: debi.coster@bhpr.co.uk/emma@bhpr.co.uk