Tuesday, the Interactive Digital Software Association (IDSA) announced that the industry grew a whopping 38 percent in 1997 in both PC and console categories.

　　Based on data gathered by the NPD Group's Interactive Entertainment Software Service, console software sales in 1997 were US$3.3 billion (up from $2 billion in '96), with PC software sales up to $1.8 billion (from $1.7 billion in '96).

　　The industry experienced $500 million in revenue from the budding video game rental business as well, according to the Video Software Dealer's Association.

　　All told, we've now become a $5.6 billion software industry, even before hardware sales of consoles kick in.

　　Hardware sales of new, next-generation consoles pushed the installed base to 16 million, according to the NPD's TRSTS data.

　　"The astronomical growth of the interactive entertainment software market is further evidence of the ever-expanding appeal of this industry," said Douglas Lowenstein, president of the IDSA. "Top games now debut with the same hype and anticipation accorded top movies and music albums, and often outsell them. Tremendous amounts of time, money, and talent go into developing today's games. And whatever the platform, there is something challenging, interesting, and exciting for virtually everyone."