US game sales hit record $10.5 billion in2005

Source joystiq

2005 was good to the games industry, due mostly in part to handheld gaming (ahh, those busy lifestyles). The NPD Group reports U.S. game retail sales hit a record $10.5 billion in 2005, breaking the previous record of $10.3 billion set back in 2002. And get this; software sales for the GBA, Nintendo DS and Sony PSP increased by 42 percent over 2004. Nintendo's five-year-old GBA comprised a whopping 52% of total handheld sales.

The article continues: "Console software experienced a 12 percent decline, with hardware and accessories declining 3 percent and 8 percent respectively from 2004. Many analysts and executives blame the decline in console software and hardware sales on consumer anticipation of the Xbox 360, which remains in short supply nearly three months after the console's launch."

So are we seeing a trend here? Is portable gaming, not consoles, where the majority of revenue growth be found? Either way, high-fives all around to the little portables that could.