Best-selling games in December based on NPD data – Epic Mickey in top 10
December 2010 Top 10 Games (New Physical Retail only; across all platforms incl. PC)
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops** (360, PS3, Wii, NDS, PC) 1 ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
2. Just Dance 2 (Wii) 2 UBISOFT
3. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm** (PC) 3 ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
4. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood** (360, PS3) 4 UBISOFT
5. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii) 5 NINTENDO
6. Disney Epic Mickey** (Wii) 6 DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS
7. Madden NFL 11 (360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP) 7 ELECTRONIC ARTS
8. Michael Jackson The Experience** (Wii, NDS, PSP) 8 UBISOFT
9. NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PS2, PC) 9 TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE
10. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (360, PS3, Wii, PC) 10 ELECTRONIC ARTS
Annual 2010 Top 10 Games (New Physical Retail only; across all platforms incl. PC)
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops** (360, PS3, Wii, PC, NDS) 1 ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
2. Madden NFL 11 (360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP) 2 ELECTRONIC ARTS
3. Halo: Reach** (360) 3 MICROSOFT
4. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii) 4 NINTENDO
5. Red Dead Redemption (360, PS3) 5 TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE
6. Wii Fit Plus** (Wii) 6 NINTENDO
7. Just Dance 2 (Wii) 7 UBISOFT
8. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2** (360, PS3, PC) 8 ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
9. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood** (360, PS3) 9 UBISOFT
10. NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, PC) 10 TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE
PORT WASHINGTON, NY, January 13, 2011 – According to leading market research company, The NPD Group, the preliminary estimate* for total consumer spend on gaming content via all monetization methods, including new physical video and PC games, used games, game rentals, subscriptions, digital full-game downloads, social network games, downloadable content, and mobile game apps, is between $15.4 to $15.6 billion. This total consumer spend on games content in 2010 represent sales that are flat to down by as much as 1 percent when compared to 2009.
Based on this estimate, spending on new physical content at retail continues to account for the majority of the total consumer spend on games content. U.S. retail sales of new physical video game content, which includes portable, console and PC game software, generated revenues of $10.1 billion, a 5 percent decline over the $10.6 billion generated in 2010.
Bright spots came from PC games new physical retail software, which was up 3 percent in 2010, as well as increases in the consumer spend on used games sales, full-game digital downloads and downloadable content, mobile gaming apps, and social network gaming, which offset declines in console and portable new physical game sales, rentals, and subscriptions.
“December 2010 represented one of the strongest monthly performances the industry has ever had at retail. It was a robust finish to a year marked by innovation and engaging millions of consumers through a multitude of delivery models,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association, the trade group that represents U.S. computer and video game publishers. “Computer and video games led all other entertainment options as we responded to consumers’ demands for creative content on every platform from consoles to smart phones to handheld game devices. I look forward to a strong 2011 with a great pipeline of titles, many of which will be unveiled at the global center of video games—the E3 Expo.”
“The dynamics of games content purchasing changed dramatically in 2010 with options ranging from the physical product to digital downloads on connected devices as well as in-store digital kiosks,” said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group. “The increasing number of ways to acquire the content has allowed the industry to maintain total consumer spend on content as compared to 2009, and we should expect 2011 to be a growth year in the games industry as the consumer demand for gaming continues to evolve.”
Anita Frazier:
Overall
“We estimate that the total consumer spend on games content to be between $15.4B and $15.6B for 2010, which is about flat to last year. This year, declines in portable and console game sales were offset by new physical PC game sales, which increased by 3%, and increases in the consumer spend occuring via digital download, mobile gaming apps, social network games, and used games. We will issue our final analysis of the total consumer spend on the industry in March when we release our 2010 edition of the Games Industry Total Consumer Spend report.”
“Sales of new physical video game hardware, software & accessories ended 2010 at $18.6B, a 6% decrease from 2009. If we include PC game sales, which enjoyed an increase of 3% versus ’09, sales hit $19.3B, down 5% from ’09. Aside from PC games, accessory sales were up over 13% due to an increase in the average retail price of accessory items of 20%. ”
“Among new physical video game sales in December 2010, the Wii and the 360 platforms generated the greatest dollar sales of all platforms, at 32% and 31% of dollar sales respectively, across all categories including hardware, software and accessories.”
Hardware
“In 2010, the Xbox 360 platform was the only system to enjoy a year-over-year increase in unit sales over 2009. December 2010 is the best month ever for Xbox 360 hardware sales.”
“For the month of December, the Nintendo DS was the best-selling hardware system, achieving an install base of over 47 million units sold in the U.S., which now surpasses that of the PS2.”
Software
“The best-selling game for the month, and for the year, was Call of Duty: Black Ops. Year-to-date it has sold more than 12 million units across all platforms, which is more than twice as many as the second best-selling title of the year, Madden NFL ’11. This might lead some to think the industry is becoming more hit-driven with sales more concentrated among the top titles, but in fact, sales of the top 10 titles this year represented about the same percentage of total unit sales as they did last year.”
“The top five games of the year are Call of Duty: Black Ops, Madden NFL ’11, Halo: Reach, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and Red Dead Redemption.”
“On an SKU basis, games that are in the top 10 for the month that aren’t reflected in our title-level best-selling list include Kinect Sports from Microsoft, UDraw Studio with UDraw Tablet from THQ, and Dance Central from Microsoft. Outside of Black Ops and Assassin’s Creed, the top list on both a SKU and title level basis reflects an array of content that is appealing outside the core audience for gaming that you might expect to sell well during the holiday timeframe.”
“PC game dollar sales were up 62% in December led by sales of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm expansion pack. For 2010 new physical PC game sales, Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm are the best-selling games, representing 14% of total pc game unit sales for the year.”
“Among the top 10 titles for the month, two are third-party Wii games including Just Dance 2 from Ubisoft, which was the best-selling game for the month at the SKU level, and Epic Mickey from Disney.”
Accessories
“December 2010 is the biggest month for accessories sales in history, due to a hefty increase in the average retail price driven by specialty controllers.
“The Kinect was the best-selling accessory item for the second month in a row, following its release in early November.”
“For both the month of December and for the whole year, Point & Subscription cards grew the most in unit volume vs. 2009. This is a retail reflection of the growing importance of digitally delivered gaming content.”
