NPD Group reported on Thursday that US sales of videogame hardware and software hit US$5.53 billion last month, setting a new monthly record and giving a blockbuster end to a lackluster year.
“The big sales [in December], particularly on the hardware front, is a positive move for the industry headed into what will hopefully be a recovery year in 2010,” NPD analyst Anita Frazier said.
Industry revenues totaled nearly US$19.66 billion last year, an 8 percent drop from 2008’s record-high US$21.4 billion, NPD said.
“Clearly, 2009 was [a] tough year for consumers and the national economy,” said Michael Gallagher, chief executive of the Entertainment Software Association that represents computer and videogame publishers.
“That said, our industry’s structure is solid, and I anticipate a strong 2010 with a pipeline full of highly anticipated titles,” he said.
Sales of videogame consoles and hand-held devices hit an unprecedented high last month, with Sony selling more than 1.3 million of its PlayStation 3 models in its best monthly showing to date.
“We knew 2009 would be a turning point for the platform due to the new price and a content line up that is fueling unprecedented consumer and industry interest,” Sony Computer Entertainment of America communications director Patrick Seybold said.
Launches of hot titles such as God of War III and a new motion-sensing controller this year should bolster the popularity of PS3 consoles, Seybold said.
Nintendo also set new US records, selling 3.81 million Wii consoles and 3.31 million DS hand-held devices last month, NPD said.
“Wii, Nintendo DS Lite and Nintendo DSi combined to sell more than 7 million units in the month of December alone,” Nintendo of America executive vice president of sales and marketing Cammie Dunaway said. “Clearly there is overwhelming consumer demand for fun games, motion controls and value.”
Microsoft weighed in with a strong showing also, selling 1.31 million of its Xbox 360 videogame consoles last month, NPD said.
NPD expects videogame sales to be buoyed this year as millions of console owners go shopping for titles to play.
“Hopefully, the big increase in the overall install base of hardware systems will bring good things for software sales in 2010,” Frazier said. “Especially with the incredible line-up of content coming out early in the year.”
Game software for Nintendo devices took six of the Top Ten sales spots last month, with a New Super Mario Brothers title topping the rankings. Other big sellers on the list included Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed II and Modern Warfare 2 by Activision.
Modern Warfare 2 was the top selling console game in the US last year, while The Sims 3 led sales for videogames played on personal computers, NPD said.
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