Figures may also have been depressed by the fact there were fewer releases this November than a year earlier when Uncharted 3, Skyrim, Lego Harry Potter 5-7 and Modern Warfare 3 were among titles that went on sale.

BBC: Halo 4 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

This move comes after retail sales of the game failed to live up to the success of the wide array of LEGO video games from WBIE (LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4), Disney Interactive Studios (LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean), and LucasArts (LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars).

FORBES: LEGO Universe Latest Online Game to Adopt Free-to-Play Business Model

Then the big boys with global licences arrive: Lego to make construction kits (build your own Hogwarts castle), Mattel to make Harry Potter toys, and Electronic Arts computer games including, finally, a chance to play the obscure game of Quidditch (a bit like an aerial version of polo, but with the contestants flying on broomsticks).

ECONOMIST: Harry Potter and the publishing goldmine