2006 may not have been the greatest year for games - 2004 (Half Life 2, WoW) probably takes that award - but 2006 saw new sales records hit in the UK. According to trade body ELSPA 65.1 million units were sold with a value of 1.36billion GBP - a rise of 7% and 1% respectively. The top three sellers of 2006 were, in order, FIFA 07, PES 6 and Need for Speed Carbon. Others in the top 10 include GTA: Liberty City Stories and Lego Star Wars 2 though sadly not Pyschonauts.
Console sales were dominated by the PS2 although the 360 come a close-ish second, while PC games sales were up 7%. For the handhelds the DS "slightly outsold" the PSP, though both did well. So no major shocks then, though the growth in PC game sales - "best year ever", apparently - augurs well for a format which has, on paper, a far better release schedule this year than last. If Sony can successfully continue their repositioning of the PS2 for a younger/more casual audience and the Wii and PS3 become properly available in the UK then there is little doubt that 2007 - boosted by a new GTA - will break the sales records set in 2006. And if not, then I'll play Superman Returns for 12 hours straight and promise never to predict the future again.
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