Despite rising unemployment, plummeting consumer confidence and scarcer credit, the video-game industry in Canada is booming, according to market research group NPD.

Canadians spent a record $2.09 billion on video-game consoles, games and accessories, and year-over year growth was 23 per cent, NPD said in figures released Friday.

Nintendo Wii dominated the console market, taking 44.1 per cent of sales, with Microsoft Xbox in second at 25.5 per cent and Sony’s PlayStation 3 at 21.7 per cent. 

"We believe the Wii has really hit a great price point in the market," Matthew Tattle, account manager at NPD, told CBC News. "It’s really expanded the user base. It’s gone beyond the traditional gamer market."

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