Earlier this week we reported that the Xbox 360 came in number one for console sales over the holidays in 2006. It turns out that Microsoft wasn't the only company to make out well for Christmas. GameStop has just revealed its 2006 holiday sales figures and it looks like it was a jolly time of year for the videogame retailer. Total 2006 holiday season sales for GameStop were just over $1.7 billion. This is a 29 percent increase from last year's sales of just over $1.3 billion.

"Without question this holiday season was one of the most successful ever for GameStop" says R. Richard Fontaine, chairman and CEO of GameStop, "I am particularly pleased with the robust sales of hardware systems, even in the face of ongoing shortages of PlayStation 3 and Wii...We have never had a holiday season with more hardware choices or more accessory options, and perhaps what is most encouraging is that we are seeing a broader base of customers enjoying the gaming experience than ever before."

A press release announcing the sales increase says that the top five games sold during the 2006 holidays were Gears of War, Final Fantasy XII, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, Guitar Hero 2 and WWE SMACKDOWN vs. RAW 2007. If this is how sales are when the Wii and PS3 are just launching, think about how good they can be when both platforms are established and have secured a solid installed base. 2007 could potentially be a very good year for the videogame industry as a whole.