Report: XBLA earned $46m in 2010 so far

Xbox Live Arcade earnings since the start of 2010 total $46.1 million, according to estimates by Forecasting & Analyzing Digital Entertainment (FADE).

While, like its stablemate VGChartz, FADE's figures do not stem entirely from official figures, it has released detailed numbers as to how it believes that $46.1 million was earned.

Toy Soldiers ($4.6 million), Trials HD ($4.4 million) and Castle Crashers ($2.9 million) are listed as the biggest contributors to what is projected to be a 13 per cent year-on-year growth for Microsoft's online service.

FADE also attributes the discounting of over 40 games throughout the last six month as a major part of the revenue boost.

"We saw Microsoft take a very different approach to product deployment strategies this year," said Benjamin Schlichter, director of research and analysis for FADE.

"The second quarter of the year has traditionally been their weakest, and they made great strides to improve the performance during the period, as revenue increased 24% compared to the year prior during a period when much of the rest of the industry is down."

The forecaster went on to predict a total of $130 to $140 million in earnings by the end of the year, anticipating additional online success thanks to the 360 S, Kinect and the upcoming Summer Of Arcade line-up.

FADE XBLA revenue estimates for January to June 2010:

• Toy Soldiers (Signal Studios) - $4.6 million
• Trials HD (RedLynx) - $4.4 million
• Castle Crashers (The Behemoth) - $2.9 million
• Battlefield 1943 (EA DICE) - $2.5 million
• Perfect Dark (4J Studios) - $2.4 million
• Marvel vs. Capcom 2 (Capcom) - $1.8 million
• Family Game Night (EA Bright Light) - $1.7 million
• Shadow Complex (Chair Entertainment) - $1.2 million
• Magic: The Gathering (Stainless Games) - $900,000
• Call of Duty Classic (Infinity Ward) - $800,000