NPD: $3.45 billion spent on videogame content in US during Q3 2013, up 17% yoy

NPD has said in addition to the $1.30 billion spent in the US on new physical video and PC game software during the July - September period, total consumer spend on other physical forms of content (used and rental) reached $436 million, and content in digital format generated $1.72 billion.

According to the firm's Q3 2013 Games Market Dynamics report, the third quarter of 2013 experienced "double-digit growth in content spending," stemming from a 20% increase in spending for new physical games coupled with a 35% growth in digital full games and downloadable content.

Combined, the total comes to approximately $1.98 billion in consumer content spending versus $1.59 billion year-over-year, an increase of 17%.

“Trends during the third quarter were the best that we have observed since the second quarter of 2011, driven by growth across both the physical and digital sides of the video game industry,” said Liam Callahan, industry analyst.

“The launch of Grand Theft Auto V helped propel the new physical sales by twenty percent and continued growth of console digital full games as well as downloadable add-on content is an indication of the renewed health of the industry.

"We expect that the launches of Microsoft’s Xbox One and the Sony PS4 will continue to fuel consumer excitement and spending for games heading into the holiday season.”

While new physical games, digital full games, and DLC were major drivers of the volume of Q3's increase, all other areas of content spending also increased with the exception of social network gaming which continued to decline.