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The NPD Group reported United States industry sales figures for October today, revealing NBA 2K13 was the best-selling game in a month that saw overall declines. Sales of 2K’s latest professional basketball simulator rose 60 percent over last year’s version in terms of dollars and units. NPD analyst Liam Callahan said this uptick in sales can be contributed to a favorable comparison to last year’s game, which was surrounded by the uncertainty of a lockout.

Nintendo’s new role-playing games Pokemon Black and White 2 were also bright spots for October, helping spur portable softwares to a 37 percent increase year-over-year. Additionally, Callahan said Skylanders Giants performed well during the month, selling over 160 percent more units than last year’s Skylanders game during its debut month.

Overall, total software sales for October fell 25 percent year-over-year to $451.8 million, compared to $605.6 million last year. Callahan attributed this overall downturn to difficult comparisons to October 2011, which saw the release of top-performers Battlefield 3 and Batman: Arkham City.

In terms of hardware, all platforms saw declines year-over-year to the tune of a 37 percent dip. However, the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, and 3DS each saw higher sales over September’s figures. According to Callahan, this is evidence of “increasing momentum” moving into the holiday season.

NPD did not release specific sales figures for hardware, but Microsoft separately revealed that the Xbox 360 shifted 270,000 units during the month. This is more than any other console and marks the system’s 12th consecutive month at the top spot. Microsoft also claimed that the Xbox 360 commands 56 percent of current-generation console marketshare.

Microsoft further added that total retail spend for the Xbox 360 platform during October (which includes hardware, software, and accessories) came in at $315 million.

Looking into November, Callahan said there is reason to be optimistic for software, due to the release of several high-profile games. ·

“While October was another month of steep declines in retail sales, we are looking forward to November 2012 with the results of Assassin’s Creed III, and Halo 4, which were positively reviewed, as well as the results of Call of Duty: Black Ops II,” Callahan said. “These software titles, along with the Wii U launch on November 18, will provide a much needed boost to retail sales.”

Of note, Dishonored was October’s only non-sequel to crack the top ten.

OCTOBER US GAME SALES (September 30-October 27)
OVERALL DOLLAR SALES

Total retail sales: $755.5 million (-25%)
Non-PC hardware: $187.3 million (-37%)
Non-PC software: $432.6 million (-25%)
Accessories: $135.6 million (-5%)
Total software: $451.8 million (-25%)

TOP 10 GAMES FOR OCTOBER 2012
Title (Platforms) – Publisher

1. NBA 2K13 (X360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PC) – Take-Two Interactive
2. Resident Evil 6 (Xbox 360, PS3) – Capcom
3. Pokemon Black Version 2 (DS) – Nintendo
4. Dishonored (X360, PS3, PC) – Bethesda Softworks
5. Pokemon White Version 2 (PC) – Nintendo
6. Madden NFL 13 (X360, PS3, PS Vita) – Electronic Arts
7. FIFA Soccer 13 (X360, PS3, Wii, PS Vita, 3DS, PSP) – Electronic Arts
8. Medal of Honor Warfighter (X360, PS3, PC) – Electronic Arts
9. Borderlands 2 (X360, PS3, PC) – Take-Two Interactive
10. Skylanders Giants (X360, PS3, 3DS, Wii) – Activision Blizzard

Seven US Navy SEALs who served as paid consultants on EA’s Medal of Honor: Warfighter are reportedly under investigation for revealing secrets while working on the game.

According to a report by GameSpot’s sister-site CBS News, the seven SEALs, who are all currently on active duty, used classified material given to them by the Navy while working with EA on Warfighter.

CBS News reported that all seven have received letters of reprimand and have had half their pay taken away for two months. One of the SEALs involved was reportedly on the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.

Medal of Honor: Warfighter was released on October 23. EA Labels boss Frank Gibeau said that the critical reception for the game fell below EA’s expectations, but that the publisher would continue to push the game during the holiday season through marketing, including the upcoming map pack tied in to Sony Pictures’ new movie Zero Dark Thirty, which chronicles the Navy SEAL raid on Osama bin Laden.

The game fell into controversy prior to its release when EA began promoting its partnership with real-world weapons manufacturers by linking to their sites from the Medal of Honor: Warfighter official page.

Gamers gearing up for Gears of War: Judgment who preorder the upcoming shooter will receive an “exclusive” in-game multiplayer weapon, Microsoft has announced. This gun is the “Classic Hammerbust,” which appeared in the first Gears of War as a Locust assault rifle.

Additionally, players who reserve Gears of War: Judgment will receive bonuses depending on which retailer they visit. A full list of participating retailers will be published in the coming weeks, but Microsoft said multiplayer character skins will be up for grabs. These include Young Marcus, Young Dom, Anya (at right), and Alex Brand.

Gears of War: Judgment is due out exclusively on Xbox 360 March 19, 2013 and is the first entry in the series since last year’s trilogy-capping Gears of War 3. Developed by Epic Games in conjunction with Bulletstorm studio People Can Fly, the project focuses on series soldier Damon Baird and will not use the Kinect.

For more on Gears of War: Judgment, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.

The rumor was right. Take-Two Interactive today confirmed that its 2K publishing label is planning to relocate its Northridge, California quality assurance studio to Las Vegas, Nevada. The move was made possible through partnerships with both the State of Nevada and the City of Las Vegas and is expected to be completed by early 2013.

Proposal documents that surfaced last week suggested the City of Las Vegas had offered Take-Two $600,000 in incentives to set up shop in Sin City. Take-Two did not reveal any monetary sum in its announcement today. Additionally, the earlier report stated 150 jobs would be created in the process, though Take-Two did not address this today.

According to 2K chief operating officer David Ismailer, the new facility in Las Vegas will be “significantly” larger and “more effective” than its current operation. The proposal documents state the facility will measure 24,700 square feet.

Las Vegas mayor Carolyn G. Goodman praised the move in a statement, and added that Take-Two’s new outfit in the city may help attract other technology-based firms.

Las Vegas is not considered a game development hub, with Petroglyph (End of Nations, Rise of Immortals) the only major studio in the area. However, the city has hosted a number of game-related events including the inaugural Minecon, as well as the annual Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain (D.I.C.E.) summit, to be held this year at the Hard Rock Hotel February 5-8, 2013.

Halo 4 players who log enough hours in the game’s multiplayer department or spend enough money on Halo-related items will be rewarded for doing so. Microsoft has announced a new “Halo 4 Combat Tour” offer that gives Xbox Live Rewards members the opportunity to score as many as 800 MS points just for playing 343 Industries’ new shooter.

“Are you ready to put your Halo addiction to good use?” reads a line from the promotion.

Gamers who play 35 or more hours of Halo 4 multiplayer by November 30 will receive 100 MS points ($1.25). Those who log 70 or more hours will score 300 MS points ($3.75), while those who spend 140 or more hours in Halo 4’s multiplayer will receive 600 MS points ($7.50) for doing so.

Additionally, players who spend 3,000 MS points ($37.50) on Halo-related Xbox Live marketplace content will get 200 MS points ($2.50) back, while those who spend 1,500 MS points ($18.75) on Halo items will get 100 MS points ($1.25) in return.

This is not the only promotion that rewards Halo 4 gamers for playing. Eligible American Express card holders can receive a $25 statement credit for completing the game’s campaign on Normal or harder difficulty.

Halo 4 launched worldwide yesterday exclusively for Xbox 360. For more, check out GameSpot’s review.

Rockstar Games’ upcoming open-world action game Grand Theft Auto V is the company’s most ambitious project to date, and according to one analyst, that deep investment will be rewarded with strong first-year sales. Electronic Entertainment Design and Research analyst Jesse Divnich told Now Gamer recently that he believes the hotly hyped game could sell 25 million or more copies during its first 12 months.

He explained that though the current high-definition game market is “softening” as the existing console cycle comes to a close, the market for big-budget AAA titles like GTAV remains healthy.

“In the case of GTAV, I have little concerns about when it is released,” he said. “Whether April, June, or even Winter, I’d expect GTAV to sell in upwards of 25 million copies in its first 12 months.”

Rockstar Games last week confirmed GTAV will ship for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 during spring 2013. Preorders for the game opened this week at select retailers in the United States and Europe. The game’s second trailer will arrive November 14.

For more on GTAV, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.

Ubisoft today officially announced the Assassin’s Creed Anthology and revealed it will launch November 30 exclusively in the United Kingdom through Amazon. No mention was made of a launch outside of the region, and a Ubisoft representative was not immediately available for comment.

As was rumored earlier this week, the Assassin’s Creed Anthology will include all five Assassin’s Creed console games. These are the original Assassin’s Creed, Assassin’s Creed II, Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, and Assassin’s Creed III.

Additionally, the Xbox 360 and PlayStation premium bundle will include all expansion packs and downloadable content for each game within the bundle, including the DLC season pass for Assassin’s Creed III. The bundle also packs in five game-themed lithographs, a steelbook case, and a collector’s box.

The Assassin’s Creed Anthology will retail for £120, or about $192.

Las Vegas, Nevada may sound like a fitting location for a future Grand Theft Auto game, but while Take-Two may not have plans for a game set in Sin City, the company appears to be planning to set up a real-world outfit there.

Gamasutra dug up proposal documents from the Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency recently, which suggest Take-Two is likely to soon open a 24,700 square foot office in Las Vegas, bringing 150 jobs to the city in the process. The office is to be located at 302 E. Carson Avenue, just off the iconic Las Vegas Boulevard.

According to the documents, the Las Vegas Redevelopment Agency has offered Take-Two $600,000 in incentives to open a branch in the city. It is not clear what will go on at the office, but the proposal reveals that the median employee wage would be $18 per hour, which is in line with average quality assurance compensation.

A Take-Two representative was not immediately available for comment.

Las Vegas is not considered a game development hub, with Petroglyph (End of Nations, Rise of Immortals) the only major studio in the area. However, the city has hosted a number of game-related events including the inaugural Minecon, as well as the annual Design, Innovate, Communicate, Entertain (D.I.C.E.) summit, to be held this year at the Hard Rock Hotel February 5-8, 2013.

Longtime Halo composer Martin O’Donnell did not contribute to the Halo 4 soundtrack, but that did not stop the album from breaking records. The Halo 4 soundtrack has become the highest-charting game soundtrack ever, debuting at number 50 on the Billboard 200 list.

The Halo 4 soundtrack sold 9,000 units during its launch week and is sandwiched between Barbra Streisand’s Release Me (49) and The Killers’ Battle Born (51). Those albums have been on the charts for three and six weeks, respectively.

In charting at number 50, the Halo 4 soundtrack easily surpassed the previous record-holder, 2007’s Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock – Companion Pack, which peaked at number 107.

Though the Halo 4 soundtrack is the highest-charting game album to date, it did not top the one-week sales record held by Halo 2’s soundtrack . That album moved a “tiny bit more” copies during its second week, according to Billboard. Specific sales figures were not announced.

The Halo 4 soundtrack was composed by Neil Davidge, who has contributed to Hollywood productions like Clash of the Titans and I Am Legend, as well as television programs, including The West Wing, House, and CSI.

Halo 4 is due exclusively for Xbox 360 on November 6 worldwide. The game is a direct sequel to 2007’s Halo 3 and is the first numbered entry in the series developed outside of Bungie Studios. It is the first installment in the Reclaimer Trilogy, which will span Halo 5 and Halo 6.

A recent Nielsen study found Halo 4 to be the most anticipated holiday 2012 title for Xbox 360 owners. For more on the game, check out GameSpot’s review.