The latimes.com has some year-end reporting from the NPD Group with sales figures for the game industry in North America in 2012. Word is sales of physical discs and consoles declined 22%, compared with a 9% drop the previous year, as the transition to digital distribution accelerates and the current console generation hits the geriatric stage. Here's more:

Total spending in the U.S. on physical game products was $13.26 billion, according to NPD Group. The research firm did not estimate the annual total including other avenues for game spending, but did say that used games, rentals and digital formats accounted for about half of total spending in December.

The bestselling game of the year was "Call of Duty: Black Ops II." Annual sequels in Santa Monica-based Activision Blizzard's military shooter franchises have been the top-selling video games for four years straight.