PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. (AP) — Sales of video game consoles and new games purchased at retail dropped in 2010, but revenue from mobile game "apps" and games on social networks helped make up for the shortfall, say market researchers at NPD Group.
Game console sales fell 13 percent to $6.3 billion. Sales of new video games purchased at retail declined 6 percent to $9.4 billion.
However, the total amount spent on the games themselves, including online and mobile games, was flat at about $15.5 billion.
The top-selling game in December was "Call of Duty: Black Ops," the shooter from Activision Blizzard Inc. that broke entertainment records after its November launch.
"Just Dance 2" from Ubisoft Entertainment for Nintendo Wii and "World of Warcraft: Cataclysm" from Activision Blizzard for the PC were also big sellers.
