Market research groups NPD, GfK Chart-Track and Enterbrain have once again put their heads together to combine quarterly sales from the world's three biggest markets--the UK, Japan and the USA--and chart the best-selling games from July to September.

1. Dragon Quest IX (DS / Level-5) - 3.92M
   (3.92M Japan, not yet released in US or UK)
2. Wii Sports Resort (Wii / Nintendo) - 3.01M
   (1.7M US, 465K UK, 841K Japan)
3. Madden NFL 10 (Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii, PSP / EA Tiburon) - 2.61M
   (2.58M US, 39K UK, not yet released in Japan)
4. Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver (DS / Nintendo) - 2.06M
   (2.06M Japan, not yet released in US or UK)
5. Halo 3: ODST (Xbox 360 / Bungie) - 1.84M
   (1.52M US, 294K UK, 33K Japan)

The groups found a 6% decline in total software unit sales across all three markets in comparison with the same period from last year, with poor sales in the United States and UK nullifying a period of growth in the Japanese market... Read more

Gabe Newell--president of Half-Life, Counter-Strike, Team Fortress and Left 4 Dead developer Valve--has declared that "based on the strength of pre-orders, Left 4 Dead 2 will be the fastest-selling product in Valve's history."

The statement came as part of today's revelation that the November 17-due PC and Xbox 360 shooter will be backed by a $25 million ad campaign. The original, released last year, had a $10 million ad budget. Valve noted plans for a "more aggressive" European campaign spanning television and outdoor ads in more cities and markets.

"Left 4 Dead 2 has consistently run at 300% of Left 4 Dead's numbers," Newell added, with marketing VP Doug Lombardi clarifying that "Left 4 Dead 2 has already set the record for greatest number of pre-orders in our company's history."

The digital re-release of BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was obviously quite popular, just not quite enough to topple the resident MMO powerhouses.

Meanwhile, Street Fighter IV, Braid and the vanilla version of Civilization 4 all rose back up in the download charts thanks to temporary discounts. It'll be interesting to see how D2D's continuing 5-week 50 games for $5 sale will affect the charts moving forward.

Steam's Top Ten (by Revenue) (9/6 - 9/12)

1. Aion Collector's Edition (pre-order) / NCsoft
2. Champions Online / Cryptic
3. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic / BioWare... Read more

Upcoming MMOs topped the PC sales charts this week, indicating strong interest in both Champions Online and Aion. Meanwhile, TimeGate's just-released shooter Section 8 charted on both Direct2Drive and Steam, while the PC version of Street Fighter IV continues to do well.

Steam Top Ten: 8/30 - 9/5

1. Champions Online
2. Aion Collector's Edition (Pre-Order)
3. Street Fighter IV... Read more

If this week's breakdown of the best-selling titles from digital distribution outlets Steam and Direct2Drive looks a bit familiar, that's probably because you saw last week's list.

Sure, there are some subtle differences--the THQ Collector Pack and Call of Duty 4 weren't on last week's Steam list, CoD: World at War and The Witcher are new to this week's Direct2Drive chart--but mostly, it's the same stuff in a slightly different order.

That said, things are bound to change soon. With Champions Online launching in North America and Europe this week, pre-orders for the MMO probably won't top Direct2Drive's chart much longer, and with Aion and Fallen Earth also launching here in the next few weeks, it'll be interesting to see how September's MMO trio performs post-release.

Steam's Top Ten (by Revenue) (8/23 - 8/29)

1. Left 4 Dead / Valve
2. Aion Collector's Edition (pre-order) / NCsoft... Read more

Microsoft today dubbed Chair Entertainment's action-adventure game Shadow Complex "the most downloaded single-player title in Xbox Live Arcade history," as the Metroid-inspired game sold over 200,000 copies in the week after its August 19 release.

Priced at 1200 Microsoft Points ($15), the downloadable Xbox 360 game has drawn high praise from a variety of outlets, including Shacknews. Much like Metroid and Castlevania, the side-scroller has players exploring a large map and finding new gadgets along the way, which then allow one to open up new areas and backtrack to uncover bonuses.

"Shadow Complex has raised the bar for downloadable games," said Microsoft's Scott Austin. Mike Capps, president of Chair owner Epic, added that "we're so proud to have Shadow Complex join the Epic portfolio" and urged folks to "give the demo a try."

September's forthcoming assault of massively multiplayer games continues to dominate the sales charts, as pre-orders for Aion appear on both Steam and Direct2Drive's listings, with Direct2Drive also seeing Champions Online and Fallen Earth rank highly. The respective figures for each digital distribution outlet follow below:

Steam's Top Ten (by Revenue) (8/16 - 8/22)

1. Left 4 Dead / Valve
2. Aion Collector's Edition (pre-order) / NCsoft
3. Counter-Strike: Source / Valve ... Read more

Deals and discounts were the shining stars of the past week, as close to half of the top-selling games for both Steam and Direct2Drive were either bundled with temporary savings--D2D had Fallout 3 at half-price over the weekend, for example--or a pre-order incentive, such as beta access (Aion, Champions) or free games (Red Faction).

A rundown of the top games from each digital distribution outlet is below, but first, a quick note. Originally, Steam's "absolute, autonomous, freewheeling, grassroots, nonaligned, nonpartisan, sovereign, unconstrained, uncontrolled, unregimented games pack" (a.k.a. the Indie Game Bundle) topped the Steam chart, but the list was updated after the sale ended and that entry removed. With that out of the way, on to the charts!

Steam's Top Ten (by Revenue) (8/2 - 8/8)

1. Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War II / Relic Entertainment
2. Aion Collector's Edition (pre-order) / NCsoft... Read more

This week's digital PC sales charts saw the digital release of The Sims 3 once again matching the performance of its retail brother on Direct2Drive.

Meanwhile, a recent 50%-off Steam sale for Dawn of War II spurred sales of Relic's tactical RTS, pushing it to the top of the Valve charts.

Digital preorder sales for NCsoft's MMO Aion also remain strong, capturing top spots on both lists.

Steam's top 10 sellers for the week of 7/26 - 8/1:

1. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
2. Aion: Collector's Edition (Preorder)
3. Left 4 Dead... Read more

With that fresh "new week" smell still lingering in the air, digital distribution outlets Steam and Direct2Drive have celebrated last week's passing with a look at what was popular then. As you'd expect, The Sims 3 did well, as did the Monkey Island re-release. Direct2Drive's Top Ten (7/19 - 7/25)

1. The Sims 3 / The Sims Studio
2. ARMA 2 / Bohemia Interactive
3. Dawn of Discovery (ANNO 1404) / Related Designs... Read more

This week's PC digital distribution sales lists are in, revealing a strong opening performance by Telltale's Tales of Monkey Island.

The revival of the classic LucasArts franchise bested all Steam sellers last week, while respectably charting at the ninth position on Direct2Drive.

Check out the top 10 lists for both Steam and Direct2Drive below:

Steam Top 10 (7/5 - 7/11)

1. Tales of Monkey Island
2. Street Fighter IV
3. Fallout 3... Read more

Last week's Direct2Drive and Steam sales lists are in, and both Bohemia's shooter ArmA 2 and Related Designs' strategy title Dawn of Discovery performed well across both services.

Enticing weekend Steam sales also saw several titles shoot up to the top of Valve's list. The 50% off sale of Fallout 3 drew enough gamers to put it at the top of the charts, while the 2K Huge Games Pack saw plenty of action.

Meanwhile, Frozenbyte's lauded fantasy platformer Trine debuted in ninth position on the Steam chart, beating out Counter-Strike: Source, which usually charts in the middle of the pack.

The weekly top ten sellers for both distributors follow:... Read more

Research firm The NPD Group will no longer release its weekly charts of the ten best-selling PC games at United States retailers to the media, the company has confirmed with Shacknews. It will still issue monthly PC sales charts to the public, though, with the entirety of the sales data, as always, available to NPD's paying clients.

No reason was given for the switch, though we've asked for more details. Back in 2007, the company opted to stop publicly releasing its monthly sales figures and listings for consoles, though it quickly reversed that decision following public outcry.

However, PC digital distribution outlets Steam and Direct2Drive continue to release their weekly worldwide sales charts. And with NPD's week-long delay of its retail sales data no longer presenting an obstacle for per-week comparisons with Steam and Direct2Drive's data, the digital distribution charts will now be posted in a more timely manner.

As such, the past two week's worth of Direct2Drive and Steam charts follow:

Direct2Drive's Top Ten (6/7 - 6/13)

1. The Sims 3 - Electronic Arts
2. The Sims 3 (Mac) - Electronic Arts
3. Prototype - Radical... Read more

Given that The Sims 3 sold over 1.4 million units at launch, it's little surprise that it topped not only the weekly PC games sales chart but overall PC software sales too.

Digital distributer Direct 2 Drive also saw a glut of Sims 3 sales, including a flood of Mac edition sales. Over on Valve's Sims-less Steam, Left 4 Dead has risen to claim the top spot unperturbed by the E3 announcement that Left 4 Dead 2 is coming November 17.

NPD's Top Ten (5/31 - 6/6)

1. The Sims 3 / EA Maxis / $49
2. The Sims 3 Collector's Edition / EA Maxis / $69
3. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
4. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $38
5. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $40... Read more

Research group NPD's list of the 20 best-selling PC games in May shows mostly the usual players--Blizzard and Maxis--in their usual comfy chairs, slightly rearranged.

Spore climbs five places following a $10 price cut, while StarCraft 2's imminent beta no doubt plays a hand in the StarCraft Battle Chest's rise of two spots. Outsiders Left 4 Dead and Empire: Total War manage to retain their lofty positions from last month.

Fallout, Fallout 2 and Fallout Tactics make a welcome and notable comeback in the $20 Fallout Trilogy pack. Fellow RPG Oblivion also returns in Game of the Year form at 17.

1. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $39
2. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
3. World of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $38
4. World of Warcraft / Blizzard / $20
5. Empire: Total War / Creative Assembly / $43... Read more

THQ's mixed martial arts hit UFC 2009 Undisputed reigned supreme over the North American console software charts in May.

The fighting game--developed by Japanese studio Yuke's Osaka--recorded over one million sales between the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions, which placed first and fourth place on the list, respectively.

Sucker Punch's PlayStation 3-exclusive action game inFamous, released on May 26, recorded 175,900 sales in its first six days of business.

May's North American console software leaders:

1. UFC 2009 Undisputed (Yuke's Osaka, Xbox 360) - 679,600 units
2. Wii Fit w/Balance Board(Nintendo, Wii) - 352,800 units
3. EA Sports Active Bundle (EA Sports, Wii) - 345,800 units
4. UFC 2009 Undisputed (Yuke's Osaka, PS3) - 334,400 units
5. inFamous (Sucker Punch, PS3) - 175,900 units... Read more

At long last, digital distribution outlet Steam has joined NPD and Direct2Drive in providing weekly sales data, providing for a wider view of the PC gaming landscape.

Of course, there's a twist. Steam lists its weekly sales by revenue, instead of unit sales, so comparisons between NPD's retail charts and D2D's downloads aren't valid. Regardless, it's more information than we had before, which is always nice.

Charts for the week of 5/24 - 5/30 follow below. Remember, NPD only tracks retail sales in North America, while Steam and D2D provide a glimpse of worldwide download sales. Lastly, expect The Sims 3, which hit on June 2, to dominate next week's listings.

NPD's Top Ten (5/24 - 5/30)

1. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
2. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $39
3. Spore / EA Maxis / $40
4. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $40... Read more

Creative Assembly's Empire: Total War gained ground on the sales list in an otherwise slow week for the PC retail sector.

The strategy title, bolstered by several recent patches, managed a third place finish, while list stalwarts World of Warcraft, Left 4 Dead, Spore and Fallout hung on for largely typical placement.

On the Direct2Drive side, the outlet's 75% off sale for Mount & Blade kept that game at the top, while Sacred 2, Battlestations: Pacific and the new Civilization IV: The Complete Edition rounded out the leading titles.

NPD's Top Ten (5/10 - 5/16)

1. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $39
2. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
3. Empire: Total War / Creative Assembly / $33
4. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $35
5. Left 4 Dead / Valve / $29... Read more

As with last week and the weeks before, the lack of a major PC release means that NPD's list of the best-selling PC games at US stores hasn't changed much. WoW and Spore moved up, Empire and Fallout went down, and Bejeweled replaced Demigod.

Fortunately, digital download provider Direct2Drive saw a bit more variety, thanks a 75% off sale on Mount & Blade and a 50% off promotion on Men of War and Cryostasis.

NPD's Top Ten (5/3 - 5/9)

1. World Of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King / Blizzard / $36
2. The Sims 2 Double Deluxe / EA Maxis / $20
3. Left 4 Dead / Valve / $29
4. World Of Warcraft / Blizzard / $20
5. World Of Warcraft Battle Chest / Blizzard / $40... Read more

Lacking the monster sales of last April's Grand Theft Auto 4, the NPD charts for April 2009 mark a fairly uneventful period in North American videogame sales.

Wii Fit lead the software pile with 471,000 units sold, with Pokemon Platinum followed up closely with 433,000 units. EA's newcomer The Godfather II captured two slots on the list for over 200,000 combined sales, while Guitar Hero Aerosmith unbelievably beat out Guitar Hero Metallica in its debut month.

"The big story for the month is the performance of portable game hardware sales as propelled by the release of Nintendo's DSi," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier of the system's 1.04 million sales. "The NDS platform accounted for 31 percent of total industry unit sales this month across all categories."

April's best-selling software:

1. Wii Fit w/Balance Board (Nintendo, Wii) - 471,000 units
2. Pokemon Platinum Version (Nintendo, NDS) - 433,000
3. Mario Kart w/Wheel (Nintendo, Wii) - 210,000
4. Wii Play w/Remote (Nintendo, Wii) - 170,000
5. The Godfather II (EA Redwood Shores, 360) - 155,000... Read more