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When it comes to its economic impact, Maryland's gaming industry isn't playing around.

Digital media, including the video gaming industry, generates a direct $5.5 billion impact in the state each year, according to a state-commissioned study released Wednesday.

The Sage Policy Group report showed the industry generating $15 billion in total economic impact when all ancillary sales are tied in. The state received more than $1 billion in tax revenues from the gaming industry in fiscal 2008, with the average industry employee's salary clocking in at more than $100,000.

State officials announced the study's results at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Imaging Research Center, where Sid Meier, co-founder of Firaxis Games in Hunt Valley and co-founder of the video gaming mother ship MicroProse, gave the opening remarks. Meier often is regarded as the "Godfather of Computer Gaming."

"The video game industry is only 30 years old and has already become the largest segment of the entertainment industry," Meier said in an e-mailed statement to The Gazette. "Video games are a thriving part of our culture and the entertainment of choice for people of all ages and all walks of life. A wide variety of games are now available and can be played on all types of platforms like computers, game consoles, the internet , mobile phones, and handheld devices, which make them easily accessible and convenient for folks looking for something fun to do."

"We've known how much the industry has grown for a really long time, and we're excited more of Maryland is recognizing that," said Kelley Gilmore, spokeswoman for Firaxis, which is a subsidiary of 2K Games in Novato, Calif. "In the recent years, we've had many promising companies spring up."

She referred to Zynga, a San Francisco company specializing in social media games, which opened a Baltimore branch last year. Brian Reynolds, formerly of Firaxis and Big Huge Games in Hunt Valley, leads this branch. Zynga has more than 230 million active users.

"We have a great pool of talent here; it's one of the reasons we've stayed," Gilmore said. "Hopefully, we will have more companies setting up shop."

2K's and Firaxis' parent company, Take-Two Interactive of New York, took in more than $155.6 million in U.S. sales for the quarter ended April 30, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

"I think [the study] is an awesome reflection of why Maryland is such a great place for gaming and why it does such a great job of attracting tech jobs," said Tim Train, president of Big Huge Games, which is owned by 38 Studios in Massachusetts. "Most of the business world has already known, but it's always good when people more broadly understand."

Last year, another gaming giant, Bethesda Softworks, part of ZeniMax Media in Rockville, took over best-selling id Software of Mesquite, Texas, known for its "Doom" and "Quake" shooter series.

Big Huge Games announced its next major project, fantasy role-playing game "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning," at the Comic-Con International convention in San Diego last week before a 1,000-person audience. The project is slated for release in the fall 2011.

Firaxis also is set to release its next turn-based strategy game, "Civilizations 5," which encouraged much excitement at the June E3 Expo gaming convention in September, Gilmore said. "Civilization Network" for Facebook is set for this fall.

"Since gaming legend Sid Meier's development of MicroProse software in 1982, the game development industry has flourished in Maryland. The State is home to leading computer and video game development companies ...," said Christian S. Johansson, secretary of the Department of Business and Economic Development, in a statement.

He added Maryland companies also excel in digital modeling, simulation and serious games used by industry.