U.S. Video Game Sales Peak, Nintendo is the Winner
U.S. sales of video game hardw
NPD said the U.S. video game industry is set to top $22 billion in 2008, and Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony said their strong sales in November showed that consumers are still spending despite the global bad economy.
The U.S. video game industry "continues to set a blistering sales pace," NPD analyst Anita Frazier said, with hardware and software sales strong even though this November had seven fewer shopping days than last year's.
Nintendo's Wii console sold over 2 million units in November, up from over 800,000 in the previous month, setting a record for console unit sales in a non-December month, Nintendo said. Nintendo's Wii console has sold over 15 million units since its release in November 2006 and holds the title as the country's best-selling video game console.
Nintendo's DS hand-held system also set a record for U.S. sales in a non-December month, selling over 1.5 million units in November.
Although Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3 were both sharply outsold by the Wii, the two systems also boasted strong sales in November, according to NPD.
U.S. consumers bought 836,000 units of Microsoft's Xbox 360 console in November, up from 371,000 units in the prior month. Sales of Sony's PlayStation 3 more than doubled month over month, rising from 190,000 units sold in October to 378,000 units in November.
Microsoft's "Gears of War 2" took the lead on the top ten best-selling games in November, selling 1.56 million units.
Activision Blizzard's "Call of Duty: World at War" came in second at 1.41 million units sold.
Nintendo's Wii Play, Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii filled out the rest of the top five, while Wii Music took the tenth slot.
Electronic Arts had just one title, the zombie horror game "Left 4 Dead," in the top 10.
Sales of hand-held devices picked up in November after dropping 14 percent in the prior month. Sony's PSP and Nintendo's DS sold more than double the units in November they did in October.
The PSP hand-held sold 421,000 units in November, up from 193,000 units in October. Sales of the Nintendo DS tripled, from 491,000 in October to 1.57 million in November.
NPD said U.S. sales of video games hardware, software and accessories totaled $2.91 billion in November.
The U.S. video game industry "continues to set a blistering sales pace," NPD analyst Anita Frazier said, with hardware and software sales strong even though this November had seven fewer shopping days than last year's.
Nintendo's Wii console sold over 2 million units in November, up from over 800,000 in the previous month, setting a record for console unit sales in a non-December month, Nintendo said. Nintendo's Wii console has sold over 15 million units since its release in November 2006 and holds the title as the country's best-selling video game console.
Nintendo's DS hand-held system also set a record for U.S. sales in a non-December month, selling over 1.5 million units in November.
Although Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3 were both sharply outsold by the Wii, the two systems also boasted strong sales in November, according to NPD.
U.S. consumers bought 836,000 units of Microsoft's Xbox 360 console in November, up from 371,000 units in the prior month. Sales of Sony's PlayStation 3 more than doubled month over month, rising from 190,000 units sold in October to 378,000 units in November.
Microsoft's "Gears of War 2" took the lead on the top ten best-selling games in November, selling 1.56 million units.
Activision Blizzard's "Call of Duty: World at War" came in second at 1.41 million units sold.
Nintendo's Wii Play, Wii Fit and Mario Kart Wii filled out the rest of the top five, while Wii Music took the tenth slot.
Electronic Arts had just one title, the zombie horror game "Left 4 Dead," in the top 10.
Sales of hand-held devices picked up in November after dropping 14 percent in the prior month. Sony's PSP and Nintendo's DS sold more than double the units in November they did in October.
The PSP hand-held sold 421,000 units in November, up from 193,000 units in October. Sales of the Nintendo DS tripled, from 491,000 in October to 1.57 million in November.
NPD said U.S. sales of video games hardware, software and accessories totaled $2.91 billion in November.
