Nintendo presented charts and grafs when they showed their result for the fiscal year ending March 31. It showed that Mario Kart Wii sold more in Europe than in USA, and that Just Dance had a lousy launch week, but steady sales show that the game is now over a million both in USA and Europe. They also presented the following charts for USA and Europe.

USA January-March 2010
1. New Super Mario Bros Wii (Wii)
2. Pokémon SoulSilver (DS)
3. God of War 3 (PS3)
4. Modern Warfare 2 (360)
5. Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
6. Wii Fit Plus med balansbräda (Wii)
7. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
8. Battlefield Bad Company 2 (360)
9. Mass Effect 2 (360)
10. Pokémon HeartGold (DS)
11. Just Dance (Wii)
12. Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
13. Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
14. Bioshock 2 (360)
15. Final Fantasy XIII (360)
16. New Super Mario Bros (DS)
17. Battlefield Bad Company 2 (PS3)
18. Wii Fit Plus (Wii)
19. Army of Two: The 40th Day (360)
20. MAG (PS3)
21. MLB 10: The Show (PS3)
22. Heavy Rain (PS3)
23. Mario Kart DS (DS)
24. God of War 1 & 2 Collection (PS3)
25. Dante's Inferno: Divine Edition (PS3)
26. Dante's Inferno (360)
27. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)
28. Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (DS)
29. Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (DS)
30. Wii Play (DS)
Source: NPD

Europe week 1-15
1. Wii Fit Plus (Wii)
2. New Super Mario Bros Wii (Wii)
3. Just Dance (Wii)
4. Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)
5. Pokémon SoulSilver (DS)
6. Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
7. Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
8. God of War 3 (PS3)
9. Pokémon HeartGold (DS)
10. Heavy Rain (PS3)
11. Wii...  Read more

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As I worked with summarizing the last three years of games sales I got my hands on some old data from 2004 to 2006. Quite funny feeling since I hadn't seen this figures for many years even though I once compiled them myself. This means I could compile a list of the best selling games in Sweden during the last six years. All versions (special editions, classic, game of the year, deluxe etc) and all formats of the games are included.

Sweden 2004-2009
1. World of Warcraft
2. The Sims 2
3. Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock
4. World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
6. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
7. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
8. Grand Theft Auto 4
9. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
10. Battlefield 2

I can't present any figures, but its not any secret that these games achieved sales that with clear margin exceeds 100k each. I noted some interesting facts:

- The sales of Modern Warfare 2 has already exceeded its predecessor.
- Guitar Hero 3 is the most sold game the three previous years (2007-2009).
- 6 out of 10 titles are published by Activision.
- Battlefield 2 is developed by DICE in Sweden.

Our English Editor Vic Bassey talks about collecting video game scripts.

The best selling game in Sweden during 2009 is The Sims 3, which also claimed the top spot on the PC chart in the U.S. according to NPD. EA reported 3.7 million units sold by the end of their fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2009.

However combined all versions, Modern Warfare 2 managed to sell more than The Sims 3 in Sweden. It's estimated that Modern Warfare 2 exceeded sales of 400 000 copies in the Nordic during 2009, which would make it the best selling game in the Nordic.

In the U.S. the Xbox 360 version of Modern Warfare 2 accounts for nearly two thirds of the sale during 2009. Looking at Sweden the sales is much more even. The PS3 version is taking the edge with 35%, followed by the 360 version with 34%, and the PC version last at 31% of the sales.

These figures are only physical sales since we don't have access to any digital numbers, but when speaking to Steam on their visit in Sweden, they say they can see both the physical copies of Modern Warfare 2 and the digital, since the physical needs to be activated online. Steam didn't mention any numbers, but it sounded as the sales of the PC version is much higher through digital distribution. This would certainly apply to the U.S. where only 170 000 sold copies of the PC version were reported in November by NPD. But maybe the PC version with the digital sales would have the lead in Sweden as well. But we'll never know.

The gaming industry has never been subjected to as much scrutiny and coverage as it is today. But who scrutinizes and watches the media. This is mediawatch.

It's a fact that despite the economic downturn, the videogame industry has never been bigger. From the seemingly morbid fascination of most mainstream media keen to cash in by concocting their own perspectives to the anti-gaming crusaders such as Jack Thompson, everyone has an opinion they wish to air. Case in point...this blog.

How does the media view gamers and why do we gamers enjoy the games we do?

Naomi Alderman (a gamer herself) from The Guardian newspaper says...

"People enjoy playing computer games, and playing them for large amounts of time doesn't necessarily indicate "addiction". But even if they are habit-forming, they can be a positive habit. In fact, playing computer games can be extremely psychologically healthy, even therapeutic."

It's not a view shared by Mr Bakker from the Research Group, Smith & Jones, who sees gaming addiction as a trait afflicted on predominantly pubescent impressionable boys.

"It's a choice," he says. "These kids know exactly what they are doing and they just don't want to change. If no one is there to help them, then nothing will ever happen."

Irrespective of how one views the gaming fraternity, it's an industry that is struggling to find its identity in the eyes of the media and one we as gamers should help champion a positive image of.