The NPD Group said total video game sales for the year were $18.58 billion, compared to sales of $19.66 billion for 2009, and $21.4 billion in 2008.
Console hardware sales were down 13 percent and new video game software sales dipped 6 percent year-on-year. Sales of new and used games and downloadable content were flat (or down one percent), NPD estimates. Video game accessories jumped 13 percent above 2009's numbers, thanks to Kinect and Move.
Microsoft's Xbox 360 sold 42 percent more consoles during 2010 than it did in 2009. Most of that growth happened in December with 1.9 million units sold. Microsoft said that it was able to meet those numbers by shifting supply for January and February to retail - to meet demand. The company expects supply constraints in the next couple of months as a result. For the month of December, Nintendo sold 2.5 million DS units, and 2.3 million Wii’s. For the full year the Wii moved 7 million units, while the DS moved 8.5 million.
Accessory sales were up 13 percent to $2.93 billion for the year.
PC gaming software saw 3 percent growth in 2010, thanks to Blizzard's StarCraft II and the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion pack. Those games represented 14 percent of PC sales in 2010 according to NPD.
On consoles Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops sold more than 12 million copies in less than two months, making it the best selling game of 2010. Other titles making the list included Madden NFL 11, Halo: Reach, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and Just Dance 2.
Here are the top ten best-selling games of 2010 (combined sales across all platforms):
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops (Activision Blizzard)
2. Madden NFL 11 (Electronic Arts)
3. Halo: Reach (Microsoft)
4. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Nintendo)
5. Red Dead Redemption (Take-Two Interactive)
6. Wii Fit Plus (Nintendo)
7. Just Dance 2 (Ubisoft)
8. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision Blizzard)
9. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood (Ubisoft)
10. NBA 2K11 (Take-Two Interactive)
Source: Gamasutra
