2006 UK game sales break records

The Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association, a British game-industry trade body, has revealed that 2006 was a booming year for the UK game industry, with all-format sales of game software totaling an impressive £1.36 billion (approximately $2.6 billion).

The best-selling software format was the PlayStation 2, which has also managed to ship a total of more than 40 million consoles across Europe. In second place were games for the Nintendo DS, which "slightly outdid" Sony's PlayStation Portable at number three, followed by the Xbox 360, the Xbox, the Wii, and the GameCube.

PC titles performed well, too, and also boasted their best-ever year, with sales increasing 7 percent from 2005.

ELSPA's director general, Paul Jackson, said that he believed that the industry would continue to gain momentum. "With the new-generation consoles and new handhelds there are some amazing titles out there and consumers are continuing to enjoy them," he said. "There are new and exciting games available and more and more family-orientated and mentally stimulating titles to grasp and hold the interest of all ages."

The top-selling game for 2006 was Electronic Arts' FIFA 07, followed by another football title, Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer 6, and racer Need for Speed Carbon at number three.

The other titles in the top 10 were Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories at four, Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy at five, The Sims 2: Pets at six, Cars at seven, Tomb Raider: Legend at eight, The Sims 2 at nine, and WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2007 at number 10.