Best Selling Video Games 2011

September typically marks the beginning of the holiday shopping season for the videogame industry. From this point through late November, publishers will release at least one potential blockbuster each week.

Holiday sales make up roughly 40 percent of the overall industry revenue-and the year's biggest hits are born then. But as publishers prepare for the fourth-quarter battle, what better time to see what has been driving sales this year?

So far, things aren't shaping up well. Software sales are down 11 percent year to date, and are on track to be lower for the third consecutive year, according to the NPD Group, which tracks game sales. That's a shortfall of more than $450 million.

Here's a look at the top 10 videogames through the end of August, based on U.S. sales (though when the year's over, expect several to be displaced).