Hickey - US market will hit $20 billion this year

Janco Mike Hickey has forecasted that US video game sales will reach $20 billion in 2009, growing 6.7 percent over 2008's $18.8 billion.

The figure is minus accessories.

"We continue to believe video games offer an exceedingly strong value proposition for consumers in the current economic malaise, and should continue to over index other forms of entertainment," said the analyst.

Software sales will account for $12.6 billion of the figure, said Hickey, up 15.3 percent over $10.96 billion in 2008.

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