The PC Gaming Alliance has sent out a press release with a summary of their newest Horizons report on the current state of the PC gaming industry. While the full report is only available to members of the non-profit organization, the press release states that the industry generated $12.7 billion worldwide in 2008, an 18 percent increase from 2007's numbers.

The report also stated that in 2008 42 million desktop consumer PCs and 31 million notebooks shipped worldwide that could be used for PC gaming (although to what kind of level is not mentioned). By 2013, that number will increase to 59 million for desktops and 118 million for notebooks. The current install base of PCs that can be used for gaming (notebooks and desktops combined) is 228 million with the report predicting that number will climb to 600 million worldwide by 2013.

Even with the current economic crisis, the report claims "participation in PC gaming among consumers around the world continues to grow at impressive rates." Downloadable online games are getting a big boost, especially in Asia.