Piers Harding-Rolls / Published - 01 May 09

The western market for subscription massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) grows to $1.4bn in 2008, and is on course for $2.3bn in 2013. (Western market is USA, Canada and Europe.) Thanks to World of Warcraft, Activision Blizzard takes 58% share of the Western subscription market in 2008, with consumer spend hitting $820m for its property. Disney's acquisition of Club Penguin in August 2007, sees it climb to number 2 in the subscription market, with 7% share. More is expected from Sony Online Entertainment in 2009 and 2010 with the release of new games on PC and PlayStation 3 console platforms. Electronic Arts can also be expected to climb in 2009 with full year's trading of Warhammer Online.