ESA Canada - games industry contributed $2.3 billion to GDP in 2012

ESA Canada has said the games industry added $2.3 billion to the country's gross domestic product last year, and noted that 84% of studios are working on titles for mobile devices.

Speaking during the Ottawa International Game Conference, ESA Canada president and CEO Jayson Hilchie said that despite various layoffs and studio closures, the number of those involved in the industry continues to grow: there are 16,500 working full time in the sector.

Hilchie said, thr figure is up 5% over 2011and the industry as whole in Canada industry is responsible for generating employment for around 27,000 people .

"These are high paying jobs - paying on average just over $72,000 - going to young workers in creative, artistic disciplines, technical fields and business, administrative functions," he said.

Other than the 84% of studios working on mobile game titles, PC games made up 66%, consoles 48%, browser-based games 46% and social networkng games 29%.

Thanks, GI International.