The Entertainment Software Association, the organization behind the E3 trade show, released its 2003 game sales figures today. Collected in collaboration with The NPD Group, the ESA's numbers showed total 2003 U.S. console and PC software sales increased by more $650 million, going from $6.35 billion in 2002 to over $7 billion in 2003.

　　In a press release, the ESA boasted of growth in the games industry, while pointing to Exhibitor Relations and Nielsen SoundScan estimates that showed declining box office receipts and album sales. "The future strength and promise of interactive entertainment comes across loud and clear," said ESA president Doug Lowenstein in a statement.

　　By platform, PC game sales were off $200 million from the year before. Console game sales, on the other hand, increased by $300 million. By ESRB ratings, a metric the ESA is particularly sensitive to, "E" (Everyone) rated games greatly outsold "T" (Teen) and "M" (Mature) rated games: 54 percent of all games sold were rated "E". Conversely, only 11.9 percent of game software sold in 2003 was rated "M."

　　Besides putting on E3, the ESA is an industry group that spends much of its time on Capitol Hill lobbying against legislation that would hinder the growth of the interactive entertainment industry.