With the holiday season around the corner, the expectations of the video-game console makers are extremely high. The entire industry feared that the worldwide economic crisis would significantly damage the incomes - fortunately, not only that the sales weren’t affected but they were actually boosted, recording a year-over-year increase of about 10 percent for the total game sales.

Nintendo’s Wii is without a doubt the year’s best seller, followed by Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console. Microsoft’s aggressive advertising campaign paid off, as the company registered a year-over-year increase of 8.6 percent. Its $199 Arcade hardware is being delivered with a copy of Sega Superstar Tennis, while the Pro and Elite models, which are a bit more expensive, present a copy of Kung Fun Panda and Lego Indiana Jones. The company is looking to present the console and its games as a great source of entertainment for the entire family.

Sony failed to find the appropriate marketing strategy for its PS3 console, which is the only one of the top three which did not record an increase. Even though it features several very good exclusive games, the console’s $399 price keeps the average gamer away. A price cut would probably bring a boost in sales, but the problem is that the company is going through a very rough patch, as it already laid off thousands of workers and a lower price on its product might bring new problems instead of fixing the old ones.

The upcoming week should not be underestimated, as it might bring a significant sales boost for all the market’s players.