Full year UK unit sales will reach 78 million games sold.

Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games screenshot

Chart-Track reports that 2007 has been a record year for video game sales in the UK, with 78 million game titles being sold by the year end. This demolishes the previous record set in 2006, with a 16.6% increase in total units sold.

Last week (week 50) saw the biggest ever single week of sales in the UK, generating sales of £87.9 million.

"2007 has been a fantastic year for our industry as all the latest generation of consoles and hand-held devices have become fully established. Videogaming is now enjoyed by everyone, young and old, male and female. Interactive entertainment is now truly mass market, and this is just the beginning of a period of real sustained growth," said Paul Jackson, Director General of ELSPA.

The race for Christmas No.1 is almost over, with the Chart-Track compiled chart to be published on Monday, December 24. This will include sales data up to and including Saturday, December 22.

Last week only 2,500 units separated the top three games: Sega's Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games sold 107,000, Activision's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 106,000 and EA's FIFA 08 104,000. Pre-race favourite, Need for Speed: ProStreet, was some 13,000 units behind with only 94,000.