Video game hardware, software sales mostly flat in Sept.
While some might applaud the new batch of sales numbers for the month of Sept., they show that the sector, like many others in the world during this still shaky financial times, is feeling the bite just like everyone else. It is hard to imagine what hardware numbers might look like if Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft hadn’t slashed the prices on their respective home console systems. Even with those price cuts, NPD data for the month showed a meager 1 percent gain over the same period a year ago, with total videogame related sales in the U.S. of around $1.28. Again, if not for cuts, it would have been more downward trending for the sector. Still it’s hard to ignore that compared to August, sales were up considerably in Sept.
On the hardware front, the one relevant console that did not get a price cut, the DS (which includes the DSi and DS Lite), was at the top of the heap moving over half a million units in the month. The good news for Sony - if there really is any in a month that was mostly flat - is that it managed to beat out the Wii and Xbox 360 in the month with 491,000 units. The Wii was close by with almost 463,000 units and the Xbox 360 managed to move nearly 353,000 units. The PSP moved right around 190,000 units in Sept., - which we assume includes both the old model and the new PSP go. Finally, the PS2 managed to move 146,000 units.
While Halo 3: ODST was the mover and shaker in Sept., The Beatles Rock Band and Madden NFL were hot properties if you combine sales across platform. Madden NFL 10 on Xbox 360 and PS3 sold a combined 536,100 units, while The Beatles Rock Band sold 595,000 units across 3 platforms (462,600 if you count what made it into the top ten). No doubt Madden NFL 10 probably had a banner month if you add up total sales for the month across multiple platforms.. And now for the numbers:
U.S. Console Hardware Sales, Sept. 2009:
1.Nintendo DS: 524.2k units
2.PlayStation 3: 491.8k units
3.Wii: 462.8k units
4.Xbox 360: 352.6k units
5.PSP: 190.4k units
6.PlayStation 2: 146.0k units
Top Ten U.S. Video Game Sales Sept. 2009:
1.Halo 3: ODST, Xbox 360 - 1,520,000 units
2.Wii Sports Resort, Wii - 442,900 units
3.Madden NFL 10, Xbox 360 - 289,600 units
4.Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story, DS - 58,100 units
5.The Beatles: Rock Band, Xbox 360 - 254,000 units
6.Madden NFL 10, PS3, - 246,500 units
7.Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2, Xbox 360 - 236,000 units
8.Batman: Arkham Asylum, PS3 - 212,500 units
9.Guitar Hero 5, Xbox 360 - 210,800 units
10.The Beatles: Rock Band, Wii - 208,600 units
