Dragon Quest IX Saves Japan

According to the latest Top Global Markets report, the gaming industry saw an overall decline in sales of six percent for the period covering July through September. When compared to the same timeframe last year, US sales dropped nine percent and the UK dropped an even more disheartening 13 percent.

In the face of this slump, however, the Japanese market is still doing well. It’s up 15 percent year-on-year, due in large part to the release of Dragon Quest IX. The role-playing game on DS sold nearly 4 million units, while solid sales from titles like Pokemon and Madden (?!) also helped bolster the market.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that Dragon Quest IX will receive such a warm reception when it hits the US sometime next year, but there is no shortage of games with high sales potential in 2010.

(via industrygamers)