U.S. video game sales slide 23% in August

By on Sep 9, 2011 at 11:45 PM
Gaming September 9, 2011

Sales of video game hardware, software and accessories in the United States continued to slide in August according to new data from NPD Group, again dipping more than 20% compared to the same period last year. Overall industry sales slid 23% to $669.9 million last month from $873.8 million in August 2010. Hardware sales were down 12% from last year to $249.4 million, accessory sales were down just 1% to $134.7 million and software sales plummeted 34% to $264.8 million. ”August 2011 sales saw a decline versus August 2010 in all categories except for portable games hardware,” said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in a statement. “In software, the bulk of the decline can be attributed to the shift of the annual Madden release from August to September (8/30 release falls within NPD’s September 2011 reporting period).” Frazier continued, “Even though year to date performance of the new physical portion of the industry is down 5%, more than half of industry sales in this channel are still to be realized in the back four months of the year.  Given the strong release schedule in the coming months, new physical retail sales could still be flat to slightly up once full year sales are tallied.” Microsoft’s Xbox 360 was the best-selling console for the seventh consecutive month in August with 308,000 units sold. NPD’s top-10 list of video game software title sales in the month of August follows below.

Rank Top 10 Games (New Physical Retail only; across all platforms incl. PC) Publisher
1 Deus Ex: Human Revolution (360, PS3, PC)** Square Enix Inc
2 NCAA Football 12 (360, PS3) Electronic Arts
3 Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, NDS, Wii, PC)** Activision Blizzard
4 Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd (NDS, Wii, PS3) Disney Interactive Studios
5 Cars 2 (NDS, Wii, 360, PS3, PC) Disney Interactive Studios
6 Just Dance Summer Party (Wii) Ubisoft
7 Just Dance 2 (Wii) Ubisoft
8 Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game (Wii, 360, NDS, PS3, 3DS, PSP, PC) Disney Interactive Studios
9 The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS) Nintendo
10 Zumba Fitness: Join the Party (Wii, 360, PS3) Majesco
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  • Anonymous

    I’m truly ready for new hardware. Bring on the xbox 720 and ps4. Hope their games are compatible like caleco and atari :)

  • RH

    PSSSSSSSSSSSSSS… game makers….ummm…maybe you haven’t heard.  There is a (pretty much) global DEPRESSION going on, and people can’t fork over 50-70 bucks for a stupid game.

  • Anonymous

    Who the heck has money for video games? Groceries and gas at all time highs.
    privacy-tools.edu.tc

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_S3HF2LNXO3LNEGF3W2OQCBRUBE BenjaminB007

    I’m sure it will get moving again when Halo 4 and Battlefield 3 come out this year.

  • Anonymous

    “Even though year to date performance of the new physical portion of the industry is down 5%, more than half of industry sales in this channel are still to be realized in the back four months of the year.  Given the strong release schedule in the coming months, new physical retail sales could still be flat to slightly up once full year sales are tallied.”  i cant believe this!! me and my sister just got two i-pads
    for $42.77 each and a $50 amazon card for $9. the stores want to keep this a
    secret and they dont tell you. go here B e t a O f f e r . c o m

  • Anonymous

    not the most shocking news on earth, given the high prices of games and the lack of compelling titles. 

  • Xxsk8er101xx

    Everyone and their mom is waiting for Star Wars The Old Republic. Also, Lots of people are saving up for Battlefield 3. Then you got Diablo 3 in beta. Why do you think everyone is cancelling WoW subs and not buying games right now?

  • http://onemessagepage.com MarecOne

    Waiting for good games.

  • http://twitter.com/CoconutShinobi Shin

    It’s about time! Gears of war 3, COD Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, Uncharted 3, Skyrim, and new Zelda.

  • Anonymous

    I just wanted to type that the girl in this photo….she got a donk on her!

  • HDS

    OMG, kids went outside to play and didn’t talk their parents in to buying a new game… the industry is dying!!!

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