Analysts: Worldwide game market $33.4 billion in 2008

DFC Intelligence, a game industry analyst group, has released a new market-forecasting service for the industry, titled Worldwide Market Forecasts for the Video Game and Interactive Entertainment Industry. In a conservative estimate, DFC expects the worldwide game market to grow to $33.4 billion by 2008.

The group's forecast represents a significant increase in the game market, which has been steadily growing over the past few years to $23.2 billion in 2003, according to DFC. While the details of the group's estimate remain inside the nearly $4,000 report, growing respect and prestige for the industry, releases of next-generation consoles in 2005 and 2006, and the potential in largely untapped but gigantic markets, especially China, no doubt play a role in the expected $10.2 billion growth.