Sims 3, WoW Top Retail PC Sales for 2009

[Greg Tito]

Sims 3, WoW Top Retail PC Sales for 2009

The list of the 10 top-selling PC games of 2009 is dominated by two companies, Blizzard and Maxis.

Reporting agency NPD released the sales rankings for retail PC games in 2009. At the top of the list was Dragon Age [http://www.amazon.com/Sims-3-Pc/dp/B00166N6SA/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1280784809&sr=1-1] at #9. In general though, retail PC sales dropped 23% in 2009, which is larger drop than the 11% drop in software sales in the gaming industry as a whole. PC retail sales could have been affected by the rise of digital distribution on the platform.

"When we started the last decade, video game industry sales, including PC games, totaled $7.98B in 2000," said Anita Frazier, analyst at the NPD Group. "In ten years, the industry has changed dramatically in many ways, but most importantly it was grown over those years by more than 250 percent at retail alone. Considering there are many new sources of revenue including subscriptions and digital distribution, industry growth is even more impressive."

Here is the full list of the top 10 selling PC games at retail in 2009:

1. The Sims 3 (Electronic Arts)
2. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King (Blizzard, Activision)
3. The Sims 2: Double Deluxe [http://www.amazon.com/Sims-2-Double-Deluxe-Pc/dp/B001444IN6/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1280784935&sr=1-1] (Electronic Arts)
4. World of Warcraft Battle Chest (Blizzard, Activision)
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Infinity Ward, Activision)
6. World of Warcraft (Blizzard, Activision)
7. The Sims 3: World Adventures [http://www.amazon.com/Sims-World-Adventures-Expansion-Pack-Mac/dp/B002NILFB0/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1280785176&sr=1-1] (Electronic Arts)
8. Spore (Maxis, Electronic Arts)
9. Dragon Age: Origins (BioWare, Electronic Arts)
10. Empire: Total War [http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Total-War-Pc/dp/B0018YXM3Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=videogames&ie=UTF8&qid=1280785195&sr=1-1] (The Creative Assembly, Sega)

Source: NPD [http://www.npd.com/press/releases/press_100114.html]

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[John Funk]

I'm just waiting for 2011 when I imagine the list will just be WoW, Diablo 3 (hopefully), StarCraft and then the Sims.

 

[AceDiamond]

And people wonder why everyone claims PC gaming is dying out. And does it really count to have 3 different versions of the same game (more or less) as separate products? I mean I know they're different SKUs but come on now.

I think if digital distribution were counted things might be a bit different but Valve continues to be mysterious about their steam sales figures and thus we'd never get an accurate number.

 

[thiosk]

I gotta say, big ol' duh here.

Seems to match sales results for every year. Switch out dragon age with oblivion\fallout and you match previous years pretty well.

I was surprised to see CA Total war on the list-- I hear its all patched up, maybe its time to dive back in.

 

[kibayasu]

Dragon Age certainly seems to have done well at least, making the list with only two months of sales.

 

[uppitycracker]

And people wonder why everyone claims PC gaming is dying out. And does it really count to have 3 different versions of the same game (more or less) as separate products? I mean I know they're different SKUs but come on now.

I think if digital distribution were counted things might be a bit different but Valve continues to be mysterious about their steam sales figures and thus we'd never get an accurate number.

Well I can see WoW, Burning Crusade and Wrath being considered different games, but to include the battle chest AND the WoW box does seem a bit off to me.

 

[jimduckie]

aren't most of the warcraft games listed add ons ? do they count as separate games ? ... just getting a list of pc games ready ,might add pc gaming to my addiction

 

[sirdanrhodes]

I'm just waiting for 2011 - imagine - the list will just be - Diablo 3 (hopefully), StarCraft

I imagine a delay, I don't know why!

 

[Contun]

I bet Blizzard and Maxis are really happy right about now....

 

[microhive]

Can't wait for the 2010 list! My expectations are that StarCraft II will top that list alongside WoW and its expansions.

 

[Radeonx]

I'm just waiting for 2011 when I imagine the list will just be WoW, Diablo 3 (hopefully), StarCraft and then the Sims.

Don't remind me about Starcraft, I already passed out from awesomeness.

 

[toapat]

top 10 for 2010:
SC2
SC2
WOW:Cataclysm
SC2
5 The Sims 3 expansions
The Sims 2 complete edition

 

[Agayek]

I'm just waiting for 2011 when I imagine the list will just be WoW, Diablo 3 (hopefully), StarCraft and then the Sims.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Thank you. I needed a good laugh.

 

[jamesworkshop]

And people wonder why everyone claims PC gaming is dying out. And does it really count to have 3 different versions of the same game (more or less) as separate products? I mean I know they're different SKUs but come on now.

I think if digital distribution were counted things might be a bit different but Valve continues to be mysterious about their steam sales figures and thus we'd never get an accurate number.

Using data from the NPD is a bit misleading as it only deals with brick and motar sales in North America only and is not a good reflection of the global videogame industry or its varity of transaction models

 

[John Funk]

I'm just waiting for 2011 when I imagine the list will just be WoW, Diablo 3 (hopefully), StarCraft and then the Sims.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


Thank you. I needed a good laugh.

It's not out of the question, honestly. D3 is shaping up really, really well from what we've seen at BlizzCon.

 

[Jared]

I'm just waiting for 2011 when I imagine the list will just be WoW, Diablo 3 (hopefully), StarCraft and then the Sims.

lol...unless all the housewives in the world revolt and bring up Sims to the top again x.x

 

[NeedAUserName]

If so many people bought World of Warcraft and Wrath of the Lich King, shouldn't The Burning Crusades be on there too... Seeing as you cant' play Wrath of the Lich King without it...

 

[Zyst]

And people wonder why everyone claims PC gaming is dying out. And does it really count to have 3 different versions of the same game (more or less) as separate products? I mean I know they're different SKUs but come on now.

I think if digital distribution were counted things might be a bit different but Valve continues to be mysterious about their steam sales figures and thus we'd never get an accurate number.

Well, they are bought separately so of course it is, stupid.

If so many people bought World of Warcraft and Wrath of the Lich King, shouldn't The Burning Crusades be on there too... Seeing as you cant' play Wrath of the Lich King without it...

The "World of Warcraft Battle Chest" has The basic WoW and Burning Crusade for a lower price. The ones who only bought World of Warcraft were most likely testing it out.

 

[Agayek]

It's not out of the question, honestly. D3 is shaping up really, really well from what we've seen at BlizzCon.

Yea, but it's Blizzard. I don't think they've ever released a product without at least one significant delay.