'Fortnite,' 'Call of Duty' and other fall releases look to propel video games to record sales

Big-time athletes were on hand for the reveal of "Call of Duty: Black Ops 4" and sounded off on who they would pick to be on their Black Ops team. With "Fortnite" batting leadoff and many heavy hitters on deck this fall, video game companies are poised to score a new record sales mark this year. During the first six months of 2018, consumers spent $19.5 billion on video game software, consoles and accessories, according to market tracking firm The NPD Group. That's 40 percent higher than during the same period last year, which over the full 12 months resulted in a spending record of $36 billion. By the end of 2018, the U.S. video game industry could tally at least $40 billion, says Mat Piscatella, a games industry analyst at The NPD Group.