The US console game market recorded its second bestselling September on record last month, according to data provided by the NPD Group.

Earlier analyst predictions of a return to double-digit growth after six months of year-on-year declines proved to be overblown, with the industry managing only a slight increase over September 2008, as total sales between August 30 and October 3 rose one per cent to $1.28 billion.

NPD analyst Anita Frazier said that the industry was flat on a unit sales basis, but that the revenue increase had been driven by a rise in average retail prices in all categories, with the exception of console hardware.

September hardware sales were down six per cent year-on-year to $472.28 million, software sales increased five per cent to $649.32 million, and sales of accessories were up two per cent to $157.33 million.

Microsoft’s home console contributed the most to industry unit and dollar sales, with Xbox 360 hardware, software and accessories generating $404 million, or 32 per cent of the month's revenues.

"The industry managed a modest increase over September 2008, and generated the second bestselling September on record after 2007 when Halo 3 released and sold over three million copies that month," said Frazier.

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