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UKIE, the trade body that provides us with sales and chart information for the UK games industry, has conducted extensive research into the value of the country's games market. It's produced some pretty interesting results, showing that digital accounted for about 50 per cent of gaming software spending in 2018. Software across physical, digital, mobile, and pre-owned, brought in £4.01 billion, with boxed sales earning £770 million and digital growing to £2 billion. That just goes to show how important the fabled digital charts will be -- hopefully we'll get those soon.

Elsewhere, hardware also enjoyed an increase last year. Consoles saw a jump of 6.5 per cent last year, although virtual reality hardware slumped, down about a fifth on 2017's figure. Other game related products, like movies, soundtracks, toys, and events, saw a decline overall of 10 per cent, but the release of the Tomb Raider and Rampage films did provide a boost to this area.

Overall, the UK games market is now valued at £5.7 billion, a record figure. It goes to show how important software is at just over £4 billion, and it seems that the country is embracing digital in a big way. Do you mostly buy games digitally these days? Shop 'til you drop in the comments below.

[source gamesindustry.biz, via ukie.org.uk]