US game sales up 8% after seven month decline

Sales of boxed software, hardware and accessories were up during November in the US by 8 per cent, the first rise in the market for seven months.

The market generated $2.99 billion in revenues, up from $2.76 billion for the same month last year. Year to date sales are $14.73 billion, 5 per cent down on 2009.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 sold 1.37 million units during the month, up 68 per cent, while Bloomberg reports the PlayStation 3 sold 530,000 units, down 25 per cent on last year.

Nintendo's Wii sales were up marginally at less than 1 per cent to 1.27 million units, and the DS family of consoles moved 1.5 million units. Overall hardware sales were up 2 per cent during November, pulling in revenues of $1.08 billion.

Software was up 3 per cent for the month, with Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops dominating sales and shifting 8.4 million units - one in four of every new boxed game sold.

Ubisoft also scored hits with Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood and Just Dance 2 ranking second and third for the month. NPD also noted that the music genre was up 38 per cent due to sales of Just Dance and Dance Central.

Microsoft's Kinect helped push peripheral sales up a massive 69 per cent according to NPD, and with less than a month on sale has already become the best-selling accessory of the year.

The best selling US games for November follow:

01 Call of Duty: Black Ops
02 Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
03 Just Dance 2
04 Madden NFL 11
05 Fable III
06 Donkey Kong Country Returns
07 Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit
08 Gran Turismo 5
09 NBA 2K11
10 Wii Fit Plus

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-month-decline

This seven month slump is not only due to our just passing recession, but imo a very poor year of games. Sure there has been a few good games but not like years past where it was game after game we had to play! Just my two cents.