U.S. video game industry sales dive in August

According to the latest figures from market research firm NPD Group, U.S. videogame industry sales took a dive in August, falling 10 percent year-on-year (YoY).

Overall sales fell to $819 million USD, with software revenue collapsing 14 percent and hardware falling 5 percent.

Almost reaching the point of saturation, the Nintendo Wii saw its lowest sales since November 2006, falling 12 percent to just 244,300 units sold for the month.

The perennial hardware leader, the Nintendo DS line, fell 38 percent to 342,700 units sold. DS sales have now fallen in each month since April.

Dead-in-the-water handheld PSP sales dove 43 percent, with Sony selling just 79,400 units for the month.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 rose to the top, seeing 66 percent growth thanks to the release of their updated, slimmed down console. Microsoft sold 356,700 units for the month. The Sony PlayStation 3 saw 7.6 percent growth YoY, selling 226,000 units for the month.

Says Anita Frazier, senior analyst for NPD: "This month reflected the lowest sales for August since 2006. While all categories are down in both dollars and units, the portable portion of the industry is down to a greater extent."

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 9 Sep 2010 23:59

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9 comments

KillerBug

Hardly a surprise...there were no good games released; just a bunch of move and kinect crap.

10.9.2010 04:43 #1

Josipher

No surporise about the DS either..with the knowledge of the 3DS in mind why would anyone buy? clearing shelves time

10.9.2010 06:35 #2

Mysttic

Honestly the $ drop was a joke too, considering the launch of 3DS next year, and considering the lack of big hits coming out on DS over the last 6 months, okay there's been a couple, but nothing like the previous years.

Sales should pick up a bit during fall/xmas time tho with the release of Golden Sun, tho I fear that was too little too late.

10.9.2010 08:41 #3

dEwMe

Yeah the DS needs a big price drop. They might as well give up on the PSP all together...PS3's need a big price drop 2 considering we are talking about the PS4 already...

Just my $0.02,

dEwMe

10.9.2010 08:48 #4

Mysttic

Quote:PS3's need a big price drop 2 considering we are talking about the PS4 already. Yea but the next console war isn't due out until 2012, so it has a little while to go before needing another price drop. But I do believe move will shatter Sony as kinect will dent MS. I feel more Sony tho, as even in the console bundle you still don't get every piece needed to play some games.

10.9.2010 09:27 #5

gnovak1

Halo Reach should drive these numbers up.

10.9.2010 13:04 #6

xnmalletx

Yea, im waiting for Halo Reach :)

10.9.2010 16:58 #7

Interestx

Quote:KillerBug

Hardly a surprise...there were no good games released; just a bunch of move and kinect crap.
Kinect doesn't launch until Nov 10th.

Although from the way the PS3 fanboys have been talking about it, as if they know everything (surprise surprise, it's all bad) about it, you'd think it had been out in the shops for a while.

Interesting that Xbox S outsold everything again andby quite a margin, even in a slow month.

10.9.2010 18:37 #8

DXR88

lot o great titles coming out fall. cant wait for a few of them Fable 3, Fallout:New Vegas, FFXIV.

not really looking into shooters that much not until they revolutionize something.

Did like Mafia 2, made better with the free ride mod.

i would love to know what happens with Joe Barbaro. i don't like huge cliff hangers.

10.9.2010 23:26 #9

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