The Xbox 360 platform saw incredible growth in December, shifting 1.86 million units in its best sales month ever according to retail tracking firm NPD. In fact, it was the only platform to enjoy a year-over-year increase in hardware sales over 2009.

Elsewhere across the spectrum, things aren’t looking as rosy, especially not for Sony. While big hitters like Black Ops and Assassin’s Creed: Brother landed spots in the top ten chart, Sony’s perpetually delayed racer Gran Turismo 5, which hit shelves near the tail end of November, was completely absent. It was outranked by Ubisoft’s Just Dance 2 and Michael Jackson The Experience, among others.

NPD heralded Call of Duty: Black Ops, Madden NFL ’11, Halo: Reach, New Super Mario Bros. Wii, and Red Dead Redemption as the top five titles of the year in terms of sales volume.

“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,” noted NPD’s Anita Frazier.

Hardware
Nintendo DS – 2.5 Million
Wii – 2.36 million
Xbox 360 – 1.86 million
PS3 – 1.21 million

December 2010 Top 10 Games (New Physical Retail only; across all platforms incl. PC)
01. Call of Duty: Black Ops** (360, PS3, Wii, NDS, PC) ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
02. Just Dance 2 (Wii) UBISOFT
03. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm** (PC) ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
04. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood** (360, PS3) UBISOFT
05. Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii) NINTENDO
06. Disney Epic Mickey** (Wii) DISNEY INTERACTIVE STUDIOS
07. Madden NFL 11 (360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP) ELECTRONIC ARTS
08. Michael Jackson The Experience** (Wii, NDS, PSP) UBISOFT
09. NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PS2, PC) TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE
10. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (360, PS3, Wii, PC) ELECTRONIC ARTS

**(includes CE, GOTY editions, bundles, etc. but not those bundled with hardware)

Annual 2010 Top 10 Games (New Physical Retail only; across all platforms incl. PC)
01. Call of Duty: Black Ops** (360, PS3, Wii, PC, NDS) ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
02. Madden NFL 11 (360, PS3, Wii, PS2, PSP) ELECTRONIC ARTS
03. Halo: Reach** (360) MICROSOFT
04. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii) NINTENDO
05. Red Dead Redemption (360, PS3) TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE
06. Wii Fit Plus** (Wii) NINTENDO
07. Just Dance 2 (Wii) UBISOFT
08. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2** (360, PS3, PC) ACTIVISION BLIZZARD
09. Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood** (360, PS3) UBISOFT
10. NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, PS2, PSP, Wii, PC) TAKE 2 INTERACTIVE

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