With active users surpassing the 25 million mark and a 205% jump in year over year unit sales, 2009 was an extremely good year for Valve's Steam service.

Despite the recession and a drop in video game sales last year, December was the biggest month in the history of video games.

In advance of next week's December NPD results, Nintendo is calling the holiday season a huge success, with U.S. huge Wii sales numbers in December and the DS lineup setting a record for most consoles sold during a calendar year.

Staggering layoffs, a slew of delays, console price drops, promising new technology and two new gaming platforms: For fans of video games, 2009 was one heck of a roller coaster ride.

Christmas is a big production, but they don't roll credits at the end of it. Still, with the home a wasteland of gift wrap and packaging, and the light slowly receding outside, it's a good moment to reflect on 2009.

Every year has its moments suitable for framing. Here, our look back at 2009 presents the ones meant for stuffing under your mattress: It's Kotaku's Year NSFW, which, as the title implies, is NSFW.

There were plenty of things to be happy about in 2009! Uncharted 2, Batman, the return of E3 and a PS3 resurgence to name but a few. But you know what? 2009 also had its fair share of crushing disappointments.

Every year in sports has its winners and losers, but in sports video games, the results aren't about pennants and trophies. And they're not always clear-cut, either.

I always like to think of the video game industry as being more like the car business than any other creative medium. There's art, yes, and business, but also functionality to consider. Oh, and shows. Big, loud shows.

Looking back on 2009's many kerfuffles and foofaraws, it may not have been the most contentious year the gaming industry has ever seen. But it certainly was among the most entertaining.

Square Enix's Yosuke Saito is overseeing development of new action title Nier. So yesterday, we caught up with him, to have a chat and take a first look at the game.

Not many great things are remembered from the 2008 E3 press conference, but, we've learned, when Jack Tretton promises something, you can take it to the bank.

Nintendo promised to keep the world smiling at last year's E3. The company made a few other predictions too, emphasis on "a few"...

Join us in reliving the hype of last year's Microsoft E3 press conference with the know-it-all hindsight of what did and didn't come true. Sorry, Microsoft, but you were not perfect in predicting the future...

It is the year 2009. Killer robots rampage through the streets, aliens rain down destruction from the sky, and a two-millennium old prophecy which could determine the fate of the world is coming to fruition.

Having run out of game consoles, Nintendo today launched Virtual Console Arcade, with a variety of classic arcade titles already available for purchase from the Wii Shop Channel.

Last night I shot off a few Kotaku resolutions, things I hope to do on the site during 2009. But what about you?

Perhaps rethinking their no new games for this holiday season policy, Nintendo just shot out a press release detailing all of the games hitting the Wii and DS early next year.