The latest number from NPD Group paint a troubling picture for the gaming industry. In the month of September overall sales within the industry — including accessories, discs and consoles — in the United States fell 24% from $1.1 billion in 2011 to $848.3 million, CNET reports. Sales of gaming hardware alone tumbled 39% year-over-year to $210.9 million, while software sales decreased 18% year-over-year from $609.7 million to $497.4 million and accessories fell by 11% to $139.9 million.
For the 21st consecutive month, Microsoft’s (MSFT) Xbox gaming console led the competition with 270,000 units sold. NPD analyst Liam Callahan believes that Nintendo’s recently announced Wii U system “has the potential to reinvigorate retail sales of hardware.” It should be noted, however, that NPD’s data does not account for used and digital sales, which are a growing part of the market. When accounting for all sales, consumer spending in the month of September eclipsed $1.6 billion.
