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Computer and video game software sales reached $9.5 billion in 2007, a 28 percent increase over the previous year and set a new record according to the NPD Group and announced by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA). Halo 3 was the best selling title of 2007 bringing in $170 million in revenue its first day of sales.

"The video game industry set the pace over all others in 2007, with record-breaking sales, off-the-charts consumer demand, and innovation reaching from galactic exploration to guitar simulation," said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the ESA, the U.S. association representing computer and video game software publishers.

"On average, an astonishing 9 games were sold every second of every day of the year."

Overall U.S. video game console software sales reached $6.6 billion (153.9 million units), computer game sales were $910.7 million (36.4 million units), and a record $2.0 billion (77.5 million units) in portable software sales. In terms of total units sold, approximately 267.8 million computer and vide games were sold in 2007.

When it comes to game ratings, only 15.5 percent of games sold last year were rated "Mature (M)" compared to 56.5 percent of games sold rated "Everyone 10+" or lower and 28 percent of games that were rated "Teen (T)." The largest growing category was "Family Entertainment," which grew 110 percent (17.2% of all games sold in 2007, up from 9.1% in 2006).

"This is clearly an industry strongly rooted in family-friendly entertainment, and not on Mature-rated titles," said Gallagher.