San Francisco, Jan 16 (IANS): As people spent most time at home owing to the pandemic, spending on video games set a new record of $56.9 billion in 2020 in the US, according to a new report.

This is a 27 per cent increase compared to 2019.

The consumer spending on hardware reached its highest level since 2011 at $5.3 billion, a 35 per cent increase compared to 2019, according to data provided by global market research company NPD Group.

"December 2020 consumer spending across video game hardware, content and accessories reached a record $7.7 billion, 25 per cent higher when compared to a year ago," said Mat Piscatella, Executive Director at the NPD Group.

"Full year spending also set a new record, totaling $56.9 billion, 27 per cent higher than 2019".

Hardware dollar sales reached $1.35 billion in December 2020, an increase of 38 per cent when compared to a year ago.

"Annual hardware dollar sales totalled $5.3 billion, 35 per cent higher than 2019, and the most since $5.6 billion was reached in 2011," Piscatella said in a tweet on Friday.

Nintendo Switch was the best-selling hardware platform in units and dollars for both December and the 2020 year.

Annual dollar sales of Switch hardware were the second highest for a platform in the US history.

"PlayStation 5 finished 2020 as the #2 best-selling console in dollar sales, while PlayStation 4 ranked 2nd in units sold. PlayStation 5 set a new dollar sales record for PlayStation hardware through each platform's first December," the NPD Group informed.

Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War was the best-selling game of both December as well as 2020, while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was 2020's 2nd best-seller.

Call of Duty ranked as the best-selling gaming franchise in the US market for a record 12th consecutive year.

"Cyberpunk 2077 debuted as the #2 best-selling game of December, and the 19th best-selling game of 2020, despite the lack of digital tracking".

Half of the top 20 best-selling games of December were published by Nintendo.