U.S. retail sales of video game hardware, software and accessories slipped 4 percent in October as demand for most gaming consoles declined from a year earlier, according to data from market researcher NPD Group.
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Overall game sales were $1.07 billion last month, down from $1.11 billion in October of last year, NPD said on Tuesday. Year-to-date sales were down 8 percent at the end of October, at $11.07 billion.
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Keep in mind that these sales only reflect new physical retail sales, said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in a statement. While down, there are revenues being generated from digital distribution, used game sales, rentals, social network games and mobile applications to name a few.
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Hardware sales tumbled 26 percent to $280 million from $381 million a year ago. With the exception of Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360, every gaming system saw a decline in unit sales, NPD said. The Xbox sold 325,000 units, up 30 percent year-over-year, Microsoft said.
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Sales of game software, meanwhile, climbed 6 percent to $605 million from $573 million. The basketball blockbuster NBA 2K11 from Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. was the month’s best-selling title. It was followed by the shooter Fallout: New Vegas from Bethesda Softworks and Medal of Honor from Electronic Arts Inc. The number doesn’t include Call of Duty: Black Ops, which went on sale Nov. 9 and shattered the entertainment industry sales record held by its predecessor, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.
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Sales of game accessories jumped 18 percent to $142 million.
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Reggie Fils-Aime, the president of Nintendo of America, said in a recent interview he expects Nintendo to do well during the November-December holiday sales period.
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Last year, we sold close to 50 percent of hardware on (the holidays), he said. While Nintendo is not planning to cut the price of the $199 Wii, Fils-Aime added that some retailers are…