The end of the year is typically the time for roundups and recaps, summing up the year past - but sometimes, it takes a little while longer to compile all the information, bumping the news to the new year. This is the case with the official Xbox 360 Top 20 LIVE Games of 2008 list, which has just been announced.

We have here the list of both the the Original Xbox and Xbox 360 Top Live Titles (both lists based on unique users), as well as the Top Arcade Titles (based on full versions purchased). Not sure if there's any real surprises here (hello, Halo), but it is interesting to note the number of demos in the list that are not accompanied by the full game.

Xbox 360 Top Live Titles (based on UU’s) Halo 3 Call of Duty 4 GTA IV Gears of War 2 Gears of War Call of Duty: World at War Guitar Hero III Battlefield: Bad Company Demo Star Wars: The Force Unleashed Demo Rock Band Fable II Mirror's Edge Demo Madden NFL 09 Battlefield: Bad Company Rainbow Six Vegas 2 UNO Castle Crashers Call of Duty: World at War Multiplayer Beta Forza Motorsport 2 Too Human - Demo

Top Arcade Titles (Full Versions purchased) Castle Crashers Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 Braid A Kingdom for Keflings UNO Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix Fable II Pub Games Duke Nukem 3D Bionic Commando: Rearmed Worms SOULCALIBUR Portal: Still Alive DOOM 1942: Joint Strike Bomberman Live MEGA MAN 9 N+ Wolf of the Battlefield: Commando 3 Marble Blast Ultra Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

Original Xbox Top Live Titles (based on UU’s) Halo 2 Fable Star Wars: Battlefront 2 Counter-Strike Fable: Lost Chapters Doom 3 Conker: Live Reloaded Splinter Cell Chaos Theory SW: KOTOR SW: Republic Commando Star Wars: Battlefront Burnout 3 Guilty Gear XX #Reload Gauntlet Seven Sorrows Call of Duty 3 Ninja Gaiden Black Crimson Skies MechAssault 2 Call of Duty 2 Rainbow Six 3

So - how many of those games did you play? I'm pleased to see the more indie Arcade titles are doing well. For those who were confused about UNO's performance (I know you were on the edge of your seat!), it popped up in the most popularly played Live titles due to the number of people who bought the game last year, which meant that it didn't do so well in the sales charts.

While the list did come out of the US (thanks, Major Nelson), I'm lead to believe these are international statistics, covering eveyrwhere in the world that is touched by Xbox LIVE.

...meanwhile, looks like the network's off to a better start than they were this time last year - looks like they might have learned something!