Report: Videogames outselling other forms of physical and digital entertainment in the UK

The Entertainment Retailers Association has been busy crunching some numbers related to the entertainment industry in the UK, and after the smoke cleared from its calculators, it found that in 2010, videogames outsold music and DVDs considerably.

According to the information handed over to the Telegraph, two of the top three titles in terms of volume in 2010, were games - leaving physical and digital and DVDs and music in the dust despite the former costing much more than other mediums.

Black Ops walked away the clear winner by selling 3.27 million copies between its launch in November and the end of the year, beating second place Avatar which sold 3 million units. FIFA 11 came in third with 2.39 million copies, and Toy Story 3 on DVD followed with 2.08 million units sold. Only one music offering was in the top 10, Take That's CD "Progress", which sold 1.93 million copies.

While the numbers seem impressive, games sales fell 12 percent last year with units moved totaling 62.9 million.

"We've long been used to the idea that in value terms the videogames industry is bigger than film or music, but it is a significant moment when a game outsells all over forms of entertainment," said Steve Redmond, a spokesman for the ERA.

"It's also a sign that the biggest titles, be it for music, film or games, are getting bigger and bigger, while the mid-range titles are getting squeezed."

However, Gamespot UK editor Guy Cocker believes the statistics revealed by the ERA do not take into consideration the increase in gaming on mobile phones, adding that "many people will be surprised by how popular videogames have become, but they are a key part of many people's lives and a hugely profitable industry."