The global videogame market is set to top the music sector this year...head inside for more.

The videogame industry has come a long way since the 80s, where Nintendo did little less than rescue a dying industry. These days, however, the industry is booming, with Nintendo right at the forefront. Business is doing so well, infact, that the industry is set to outpace the music sector this year.

According to Pricewater Cooper, the videogame market will roughly be worth around 36.4bn EUR/48.9 billion USD by 2011. Not only that, but with a growth rate of 9.1 per cent. This is quite staggering when compared to the entire entertainment market, which is growing at around 6.4 per cent annually, over the same period of time.

So, what is causing all of this? When did videogames suddenly become so popular?

The report states that some of the contributing factors are the availability of online play in todays home and handheld consoles, in-game ads, and wireless gaming. Also, not forgetting the fact that the next generation of home console systems have hit shop shelves, but it would be interesting to note that the analysis did not include spending on hardware or accessories.

What does all this mean? The videogame market is very healthy at this moment in time, and will continue to grow and grow. Next Stop: Hollywood!