Games vs Movies: The multi-billion dollar face-off!

Awards season is in full swing, with the Oscars, BAFTAs and gaming BAFTAs all handing out gongs, so we've decided to give out our own awards in the multi-billion dollar face-off between games and movies. And our fascinating new infographic clearly shows that games top movies as the highest grossing entertainment industry.

Although movies still have bigger budgets and the largest salaries for stars, games came out top in annual sales, taking a massive $12.97 billion last year, compared to the movie industry's $12.9 billion. The rise and rise of gaming continues unabated, with the gaming industry also taking the plaudits for 'Digital Sales’ and the 'Highest Number of Products in a Franchise' with Mario's 109 different versions.

But for most of us, the SEGA story truly begins in 1982 with the launch of their first home console, the SG-1000. While not a massive success, it did help them survive the legendary video game crash of the early 80s. It also helped form the basis of the Master System, the 8-bit console designed to take on Nintendo's NES, and an historic rivalry was born that formed the childhood of many of today's gamers. When it comes to flops, both industries have failed famously in the past. In 1982, Atari made a massive miscalculation with their game E.T., overproducing and losing an estimated $100 million - closer to $244 million in today's money. Adjusting for inflation, swashbuckling pirate movie Cutthroat Island comes closest with an estimated loss of $147m. And despite budgets for games increasing - Grand Theft Auto V cost a massive $265 million to produce - films remain the biggest spenders, with over $300 million spent on Pirates of the Caribbean 3.

So take a look at our infographic below and an epic duel between two entertainment powerhouses.