OK, so here’s my latest theory.

Activision’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been the most played game on Xbox LIVE more or less since it launched at the end of 2009, beating back games like Halo 3 and the other Call of Duty games with ease. How is this possible? Bots.

Activision has created millions of Xbox LIVE accounts for millions of computer-controlled in-game bots which are constantly playing Modern Warfare 2, and therefore contributing to the game’s constant, consistent and dominating presence on Xbox LIVE, week after week, month after month.

What’s the alternative? Millions and millions of real people have actually bought Modern Warfare 2, and play the game night after night online? Ha ha, please! Give me a break. My ‘bot’ theory is logical. The alternative is pure fantasy.

Anyways… Blacklight: Tango Down is this past week’s top-selling Xbox LIVE Arcade game, followed by Monkey Island 2: Special Edition – LeChuck’s Revenge and After Burner Climax, while the list of best-selling Xbox Indie Games is topped by (do I really have to say this? Really?! OK, fine) Try Not to Fart, followed by I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1 and Avatar Ninja!

The full global list of top played Xbox Live games, top selling XBLA games and Xbox Indie Games follows below, all based on unique users and full versions purchased (now including Games For Windows games):

Xbox 360 Top LIVE Titles

• Modern Warfare 2
  
• Halo 3
• Call of Duty: WaW
• Red Dead Redemption
• FIFA 10
• Call of Duty 4
• Gears of War 2
• GTA IV
• Battlefield Bad Co. 2
• Blacklight: Tango Down
• Left 4 Dead 2
• Crackdown 2 Demo
• Forza Motorsport 3
• Halo 3: ODST
• NBA 2K10
• 2010 FIFA World Cup
• Crackdown 2
• Madden NFL 10
• Borderlands
• Fallout 3

Top Arcade Titles

• Blacklight: Tango Down
• Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge
• AFTER BURNER CLIMAX
• MEGA MAN 10
• RISK: FACTIONS
• Puzzle Quest 2
• Castle Crashers
• Toy Soldiers
• Trials HD
• Game Room
• UNO
• Hasbro Family Game Night
• Snoopy Flying Ace
• Earthworm Jim HD
• Magic: The Gathering
• The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition
• Worms 2- Armageddon
• Battlefield 1943
• Marvel vs. Capcom 2
• Perfect Dark

Top Indie Games

• Try Not To Fart
• I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!1
  
• Avatar Ninja!
• The Impossible Game
• Baby Maker Extreme
• Avatar Paintball
• Avatar Racedrome
• Avatar Karate
• Avatar Onslaught
• Zombie Estate
• GET TO THA CHOPPA!!1
• Avatar Drop
• Avatar Showdown
• Miner Dig Deep
• Avatar Bumper Cars
• Breath of Death VII
• RC Airplane Challenge
• Bloody Death
• This Is Hard
• Home Run Challenge

Games for Windows Top LIVE Titles

• GTA IV
• Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II
• Street Fighter IV
• Colin McRae : Dirt 2
• Fallout 3
• Bioshock 2
• Red Faction Guerrilla
• Resident Evil 5
• Halo 2
• FlatOut UC
• Batman: Arkham Asylum
• Gears of War
• Fuel
• Tinker
• Battlestations: Pacific
• Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
• Quantum of Solace
• LOST PLANET COLONIES
• Section 8
• Juiced 2: HIN

Check out last week’s Xbox LIVE Activity Ranking over here.