The NPD Group has just released its sales report of the videogame industry in the US for the month of October, and it shows how the industry’s numbers slipped even further despite NBA 2K11 dominating the software side of things. Overall industry sales were down 4% to $1.07 billion, although software sales were boosted 6% largely due to NBA 2K11.

The main concern was the hardware sales which shrunk a ghastly 26% to $280 million. The console and handheld market suffered a large blow, with the DS remaining on top of the hardware sales chart while the Xbox 360 was the only system to record year-on-year growth.

With NPD no longer issue sales figures, we rely on the hardware manufacturer’s to reveal the consoles performances. So far only Microsoft has come forth, saying the Xbox 360 sold 325 000 consoles and that the Xbox 360 was the best-selling console in October. The publisher also announced that the Xbox 360 is the best-selling console in the US so far in 2010 with 3.5 million units sold to date. The NPD noted that the DS remains the best-selling hardware for this year overall.

NBA 2K11 was the top-selling game, while Fallout: New Vegas debuted at number 2 with a whopping 1.117 million combined sales on the PS3, Xbox 360 and PC platforms. The Xbox 360 version dominated with 679 000 copies and was the month’s highest-selling single-system SKU.

Medal of Honor took third place while the Xbox 360 exclusive, Fable III, was new at number 4 and according to Microsoft sold an impressive 580 000 copies. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2 took fifth place and Halo: Reach debuted at number 6 with 315 000 copies.

Just Dance 2 entered the chart in seventh place while FIFA Soccer 11 kept up the pace at number 8. Madden NFL 11 continued to simmer at number 9 and WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2011 rounded off the chart, new at number 10.

Rock Band 3 debuted a little lower down the charts, only managing to earn the fifteenth spot, but being dubbed important enough to earn a mention from NPD. “Rock Band 3 was the 15th best selling game at the title level (across platforms) for the month of October,” commented NPD analyst Anita Frazier. “Note that this title was launched on Oct. 26, which only represents a few days in our October sales data. Based on solid reviews, this game has the potential to perform well over the holidays.”

Titles like Castlevania: Lord of Shadows, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and Vanquish were notably absent from the list.

October 2010 US Game Sales

• Total: $1.07 billion (-4%)
• Non-PC total: $1.03 billion (-4%)
• Non-PC hardware: $280 million (-26%)
• Non-PC software: $605 million (+6%)
• Accessories: $142 million (+18%)

Top 10 Games

• 1) NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, PS2, PSP, WII, PC) - 2K Sports
• 2) Fallout: New Vegas (360, PS3, PC) - Bethesda Softworks
• 3) Medal of Honor (360, PS3, PC) - Electronic Arts
• 4) Fable III (360) - Microsoft
• 5) Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II (360, PS3, WII, PC, DS) - LucasArts
• 6) Halo: Reach (360) - Microsoft
• 7) Just Dance 2 (Wii) - Ubisoft
• 8) FIFA Soccer 11 (PS3, 360, WII, PS2, PSP, DS, PC) - Electronic Arts
• 9) Madden NFL 11 (360, PS3, WII, PS2, PSP) - Electronic Arts
• 10) WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 (PS3, 360, PS2, WII, PSP) - THQ

Source: NPD