The NPD results for 2010 are in and it's an up and down situation for the industry.
Based on the company's new measuring standard, which they started midway through last year, around $15.5 billion worth of game software was purchased in the US, which is almost identical to the total number from 2009.
Overall retail sales of non-PC hardware, software and accessories fell 6%, down from $19.7 billion in 2009 to $18.58 billion in 2010. And although the 360 saw better sales towards the end of the year, Microsoft's console suffered the biggest decline, falling 13% from $7.19 billion to $6.29 billion. Non-PC software also fell a little, dropping 6% from $9.92 billion to $9.36 billion. Accessories, thanks to the likes of PlayStation Move and Kinect, were up 13% and shock of shocks, Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops was the biggest game of the year, followed by (another surprise) Madden NFL 11 , Halo: Reach , Super Mario Bros. Wii , and Red Dead Redemption .
Sony has tossed out their official response to the figures, and they note that the PS3 was the "only console to have 32% increase in software sales," and currently, LittleBigPlanet 2 holds a 94% average rating at Metacritic, which puts it in the top 10 of all time for Sony's machine. Yeah, that's more of a 2011 comment. Here's SCEA's response, courtesy of Senior Director of Corporate Communications, Patrick Seybold:
"Since PlayStation Move was introduced in September, millions of consumers and gamers have joined the PlayStation family. The key to Move's long-term success is developer and publisher support; enabling PlayStation to offer the most diverse line up of motion and 3D games. The combination of innovative hardware and a relentless line up of blockbuster titles is why the PS3 is perhaps the only console that grows more valuable over time. As we come out of the gates in 2011, PlayStation is brimming with new games to whet the appetite for all gamers, like next week's highly anticipated launch of LittleBigPlanet 2, which received top scores. And right around the corner, Killzone 3 is positioned to set a new standard in hardcore gaming as the first AAA title to utilize both 3D and Move functionality.
According to the December NPD, PlayStation is the only console company to show year over year software growth with an impressive 32% increase in its sales. Since launching four months ago, PlayStation Move has introduced 50 supported titles, with close to 20 titles still on the horizon, underscoring PlayStation's steady expansion of software titles to create what is without doubt the most exciting line-up of motion control gaming options available to consumers today. We look forward to the year ahead as we continue to deliver the kind of compelling, innovative and diverse content experiences that have kept the PlayStation brand synonymous with premier entertainment for over 15 years."
