State's video game industry ranks second in employees

Seattle is known for coffee, airplanes and software. But, for some reason, the burgeoning video game industry tends to get overlooked.

But here's some evidence that the industry is worth tracking. The Entertainment Software Association today said that Washington state ranks second in terms of employment in computer and video games. It found that 9,284 people at more than 59 facilities in the state were directly or indirectly employed in the industry.

Only California employed more people in the industry, with the San Francisco Chronicle reporting that 36,000 people were directly or indirectly employed at more than 190 facilities. Other states in the top five in terms of employment were Texas, New York and Massachusetts.

The report also noted that computer and video game companies contributed $497 million to Washington's economy, not quite the $1.7 billion in California.