UK 2009 Software Charts

Electronic Arts has reclaimed its crown from Nintendo in terms of the number of games sold in 2009. The format-holder unseated EA in 2008, but the Californian-based publisher has hit back – with FIFA the key sales driver, supported by the firm’s vast back catalogue.

Wii software accounted for over a quarter of the games sold during 2009, with the console’s market share increasing a percentage point. In contrast, DS software sales fell by over 2.5 per cent during 2009. Meanwhile, software unit sales for PC, PSP and PS2 continue to fall.

In terms of software value, Activision Blizzard’s market share increased courtesy of Modern Warfare 2 – which became the third biggest selling game in UK chart history by the end of last year. Codemasters also enjoyed a big year, rising ten places.

In terms of software value, Xbox 360 has unseated Nintendo by growing its market share by 5.1 per cent. PS3 was the other big winner, increasing its share by 3.6 per cent. Both Wii and DS market share is down, with DS sales dropping 2.8 per cent and the Wii down 0.9 per cent.

All data courtesy of ELSPA GfK-ChartTrack