by Robin Fiedler
Video games are on kids' and adults' gift lists alike this year, and their popularity is growing. Many of the top video games sales are approaching Hollywood blockbuster opening weekend movie ticket sales. Just like Hollywood movies, there are hundreds available and new ones, including sequels, are released every week. 
Franklin Paul of Reuters reports that the video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 “is expected to be the biggest entertainment hit of the holiday season, with sales that could range from 11 million to13 million units by end-2009, or more than $660 million in sales.” VGChartz tallies week-by-week sales of video games, and 3 weeks after its release, 4.3 million Modern Warfare 2 have sold in America so far and 6.3 million worldwide.
Besides 'mature' rated video games, many popular games involve kids' themes or sports, such as the Mario Brothers and Wii Sports series. According to a November 2009 survey by BIGResearch of holiday shoppers for Wal*Mart, more than half of "moms considering the purchase of video games believe that games are the 'must have' gift this holiday season for family and kids." Of the 58% with video games on gift lists, half of those "are considering purchasing kids games, 41 percent action adventure, and one third sports-themed games this season."
In the last week of November, which includes Black Friday weekend sales in America, VGChartz lists that Wii and Xbox 360 each had 4 top selling games and PS3 had 2 top selling games in the top 10 selling video games. Wii Sports and Wii New Super Mario Brothers were number 1 and 2 selling around 600,000 each.
In one week's sales, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 for the Xbox sold 455,000 to come in at number 3. Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports Resort came in at 4 and 6, selling 370,000 and 317,000. Number 5 was Xbox Left for Dead 2, number 7 Xbox Assassin's Creed II, and number 10 Xbox Lego Batman: The Videogame. PS3 had its Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Assassin's Creed 2 come in at 8 and 9, according to VGChartz "American Weekly Chart for Week Ending 28 Nov. 2009."
Video games are not cheap gifts, but Wal*Mart is having a $40-$50 sale on popular video games. Sale proces are valid online and in stores.
- For the Wii, Mario & Sonic at the Winter Olympics, Lego Rock Band, Rock Band: Beatles, MySims: Agents, and WWE 2010 are all $40.
- For the Xbox, there's Tekken 6, Madden 2010, WWE 2010, Batman Arkham Asylum, Left 4 Dead 2, and Halo 3--all for $50.
- The PS3 games are Tekken 6, Madden 2010, Dragon Age: Origins, and Uncharted 2 all for $50.
Also, "beginning this Saturday, Dec. 5 at 8 a.m. through Dec. 12, Walmart will offer a $50 Walmart Gift Card immediately after the purchase of the $199 Wii console. The card can be used on the very next purchase or at any future purchase at any Walmart store."
For kids and moms, the Wii with anything Wii Sports or Mario Brothers is the hot family video game system and games for Christmas. If there's an adult male gamer in the house, then the sequels have it: Modern Warfare 2, Assassin's Creed II, and Left for Dead 2 for Xbox and PS3. Finding the top video games in stock is my video-game adventure conquest.
Sources
"American Weekly Chart for Week Ending 28 Nov. 2009." VGCharts. 28 Nov. 2009.
Paul, Franklin. "FACTBOX - Initial Sales of Video Games vs. Movie Blockbusters." Reuters. 10 Nov. 2009.
"Walmart Declares 'Game On' for More Savings, Announcing Wii Bonus and Lowering Price $10 on Select 2009 Video Games" Wal*Mart. 2 Dec. 2009.
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