Last month saw 
the biggest launch ever in the video game industry, but flat sales of hardware kept things about on par with last year saleswise.
All totaled, the gaming industry took in $3 billion in November, roughly $10,000 more than last year, according to the NPD Group. But the overall picture was rosy for the industry — as game sales were much higher than predicted.
Led by “Modern 
Warfare 3″ and a surprisingly strong “The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim,” video game software sales soared past analyst expectations in November.
Retail sales of console and portable software were up 15 percent to $1.67 billion. Analysts had expected a climb of just 3 percent.
After setting five-year 
retail sales lows for the past three months, the video game industry finally showed signs of life in September — although those vitals weren’t as strong as some industry observers were expecting.
Year-over-year sales were down 4 percent overall, but game software sales (the most closely followed statistic) were up 3 percent, the first positive growth in months.
The holiday season 
has kicked off for the video game industry – and not a moment too soon.
Retail sales of video game software were up 3 percent in September to $630.2 million, a welcome change from the record setting lows of the past three months. The increase was welcome news, though not as strong as some industry observers were hoping for.
September typically 
marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season for the videogame industry. From this point through late November, publishers will release at least one potential blockbuster each week.
Holiday sales make up roughly 40 percent of the overall industry revenue—and the year’s biggest hits are born then. But as publishers prepare for the fourth-quarter battle, what better time to see what has been driving sales this year?
Perhaps more than 
any other entertainment field, video games are seasonal. While an occasional blockbuster is released in the first or second quarter, the Sept.-Dec. timeframe is when publishers really make their bank.
The last four months of the year not only make up more than half of the industry’s annual sales, but the titles released in that period can pay dividends well into the following year, as illustrated by the best-selling games of 2011 (through the end of August).
August, traditionally, 
is when game sales start to rev up for the holiday season. This year, though, they sputtered and died.
With the release date of Electronic Arts annual Madden football franchise moved to the end of the month, retail sales plummeted in August, falling 37 percent as compared to last year. Overall, year over year sales were down 23 percent.
Everyone was expecting 
bad news from video game retailers in August.
And everyone was right.
The NPD Group reports that year over year sales were down 23 percent, with software sales tumbling 37 percent. August, historically, has been a rebound month for the industry, but EA’s decision to move the release of the annual Madden entry to the end of the month torpedoed any chance of that happening this year.
Retail video game sales 
nosedived in July, hitting their lowest level since October 2006.
Year over year sales were down 26 percent, with declines across the board in all hardware, software and accessories — and no breakout hits. While July is often a slow month for the industry, the dip in software sales was more than twice as bad as Wall St. analysts were predicting.
After riding high from the thrill of 
E3 last week, the video game industry got a harsh slap in the face Monday.
As reported by the NPD Group, sales of video games in the month of May were down 19 percent compared to a year ago — the worst performance for the industry in nearly five years.
Chris Morris: Journalist 