U.S. video game sales rose 16% to $699 million in April, after seven consecutive months of declines.  Sales of Microsoft's Xbox 360 console and the popularity of two games contributed to the growth, according to market research firm NPD Group. The $13 billion U.S. video game industry is transitioning to new console technology with Microsoft's  Xbox 360 out in the market and Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii to be launched later this year.

Video game industry highlights from NPD Group and Entertainment Software Association (ESA):

• Hardware sales rose to $223 million from $192 million on greater availability of Microsoft's Xbox 360s.

• Game sales were up almost 16% to $395 million in April.

• Game publishers expect U.S. video game sales to be flat to down 5% in 2006.
• Video game software sales for consoles, PCs, mobile, and online hit $8.2 billion in 2004 and are forecasted to grow to $15 billion in 2010, according to the report “Video Games: Serious Business for America’s Economy”, sponsored by the ESA ( www.theesa.com) The report estimated that the industry would support over 250,000 jobs by 2009 -- a 75% increase over the 144,000 full-time jobs the industry supported in 2004.
• In 2005, more than 228 million computer and video games were sold, almost two games for every household in America.

A study by Price Waterhouse Coopers estimates that worldwide spending on entertainment software in 2004 reached $25.4 billion.