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UK videogame sales reach all time high

Nearly 83 million sold last year.

A record-breaking 82.8 million games were sold in the UK last year, bringing the total amount spent on them to GBP 1.9 billion.

That's according to the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (as reported by the BBC).

Game sales were up 23 per cent from 2007, and hardware sales accounted for GBP 1.422 billion. In other words, British shoppers spent GBP 4.3 billion on games in total.

ELSPA boss Michael Rawlinson said it's because so many people who wouldn't know a DualShock from a dustbin lid are buying Wiis, to paraphrase.

"Videogaming is increasingly bringing families together with the introduction of so many outstanding family-based console titles," he actually said.

"These have really opened up the market to those who may never have even considered playing a videogame before."