Video game sales of 2009: Microsoft and Sony team up to prevent a Nintendo #1

ELSPA (Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association) and Chart-Track GfK have released information about 2009's best-selling video games in the UK. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and FIFA 10 held off Nintendo Wii games to score first and second place on the multi-format chart which combines sales across all consoles.

Wii Sports Resort, Wii Fit, and Wii Fit Plus, all exclusive to the Nintendo Wii, made up the rest of the overall top five.

Both Modern Warfare 2 and Assassin's Creed II were released late in the year, Modern Warfare 2 on November 10, and Assassin's Creed II the following week along with New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

In terms of Microsoft and Sony's battle for market penetration, UK console ownership lies halfway between the USA, where the Xbox 360 dominates, and Europe, where the PlayStation 3 is preferred. However, in keeping with worldwide trends, it's the Nintendo DS and Nintendo Wii that have been the most popular overall, so in that respect at least the UK can be seen as a microcosm of the combined European and North American territories.

Regarding Nintendo's sales, Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit were released in the UK in April 2008, but throughout 2009, Mario Kart Wii continued to sell consistently well, and the Wii Fit juggernaut showed no signs of flagging by landing fourth overall, with 2009's update Wii Fit Plus following in fifth. While newcomer Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games managed an All Format eighth, its 2007 Summer Olympic predecessor still shifted enough copies to finish up at 20th.

Dr Kawashima's Brain Training, the UK title for Brain Age: Train Your Brain in Minutes a Day!, is also proving to be an evergreen for Nintendo on the DS, having originally been introduced to UK store shelves back in June 2006.

2009 All Formats Chart
1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (360, PS3)
2. FIFA 10 (360, PS3)
3. Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
4. Wii Fit (Wii)
5. Wii Fit Plus (Wii)
6. Assassin's Creed II (360, PS3)
7. Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
8. Mario & Sonic At The Olympic Winter Games (DS, Wii)
9. Call Of Duty: World At War (360, PS3)
10. FIFA 09 (360, DS, PC, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii)
11. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
12. Wii Play (Wii)
13. Professor Layton And The Curious Village (DS)
14. Forza Motorsport 3 (360)
15. Lego Batman: The Videogame (360, DS, Mac ,PC, PS2 ,PS3, PSP, Wii)
16. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (360, PS3)
17. Need For Speed: Shift (360, PC, PS3, PSP)
18. Resident Evil 5 (360, PS3)
19. Dr Kawashima's Brain Training (DS)
20. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS, Wii)

Source: Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association