NPD: November game sales up 15 percent

Industry tracking group shows an expected rebound after October's sales figures were surprisingly flat; 197,000 PS3s, 476,000 Wiis sold in US.

After months of year-over-year growth, October's sales figures surprised some analysts and industry watchers. With the market-depressing effects of a console transition largely behind them, US retailers started off the key fourth quarter of the year with sales more or less in line with what they had taken in for October 2005.

Despite that month's unspectacular showing, analysts were upbeat this week in anticipation of significant sales growth for November. And according to the industry tracking NPD Group, their optimism was justified. For the month of November, US retail game sales amounted to roughly $804 million, a 15 percent increase over the prior year's $702 million.

Sales were led by the Xbox 360 release Gears of War (which broke the million-unit mark), followed by Square Enix's Final Fantasy XII and Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess for the Wii. Twilight Princess was the only game for either of the month's newly released systems--the Wii and the PlayStation 3--to crack the top-10 best-selling games (by units sold).

Despite the performance of Gears of War and the release of Sony's and Nintendo's next-gen consoles, it was portable systems that experienced the more pronounced growth. Portable game sales were up 28 percent to $185 million, compared with home console game sales' 11 percent bump to $618 million.

Sales for PS3 and Wii games would no doubt have been higher if more of the consoles had made their way into gamers' hands. NPD shows 197,000 PS3 systems sold for the month, while the Wii managed to move 476,000 units. The Xbox 360 bested them both, though not by much, sporting sales of 511,000 for the month.

None of the next-gen systems could measure up to the DS, however. Nintendo's newest portable sold 918,000 systems, according to NPD. All tallied up, US retailers sold $771 million worth of gaming hardware last month, 69 percent more than the $456 million moved in November 2005, when the Xbox 360 launched.

164 Comments

  • CreepyNerd90

    Posted Jan 3, 2007 1:54 pm PT

    Skiggy80 wrote:

    I really dont want or need a blue ray player and I dont feel like paying $30 for a Blue Ray DVD.


    my thoughts exactly

  • Skiggy80

    Posted Dec 17, 2006 8:49 pm PT

    If all 3 systems launched at the same time, they all would have sold excellent. There were lines and fights for the 360. Same for the wii and the ps3. Many people at my store dont just settle for a 360 if there is no wii or ps3. They come in asking for a 360. Say what you will, but the 360 is here to stay and everyone who says other, better think again because when a microsoft product outsells in the games department, thats something a little abnormal. I love a 3 systems but I am tired of hearing how good Sony is. Even though I am getting a ps3, I would like to see this Wii60 thing happen. Its time for a new king in gameing and frankly I believe its going to go in favor of either the 360 or wii. The wii will sell a lot and fast due to the new innovating way to play, 360 will sell well because its the best bang for your buck, and it will look like ps3 is selling well due to the short supply of systems. At my stoer I have been getting anywhere from 3 to 4 ps3's a week. While Sony os selling 3 to 4 a week, wiiis selling 12 to 15 and 360 is selling 30 to 40. So you do the math, Sony lied and messed up again and this time its going to cost them.

  • Skiggy80

    Posted Dec 17, 2006 8:33 pm PT

    Hey "Ravenlore_basic", let me give you a little insight. Nobody cares what the PS2 does anymore. Also I work for EBGames and we sell out of Xbox 360 every week. In December alone, my store sold close to 500 360 Premium systems. Thats a lot for one store. Sure, the wii sold excellent but it still has a way to go until it comes anywhere close to what 360 sells. I had 3 PS3 20 gigs in my store for 3 days. We had to put a sign outside saying we had them. If 360 sells 511,000 a month, thats 6 million a year. Thats pretty good. So lets stop this "what the ps2 did", nobody cares. Your just a fanboy. I have 2 out of the 3 and I will be getting the 3rd soon. Each has their strengths. Honestly though, I am not too interested in shelling out $600 for a ps3 and I wont until maybe next year. I really dont want or need a blue ray player and I dont feel like paying $30 for a Blue Ray DVD. Also, I am going to have to spend another $100 on a good HDMI cable when I do get a PS3. So the PS3 really has NOTHING that will make me spend $1000 total right now. So chill with you sales sh*t.

  • Ravenlore_basic

    Posted Dec 17, 2006 9:02 am PT

    MS is the one that is way off only 511,00 consoles while PS3 and Wii are sold out. I mean Sony sold more PS2 consoles AGAIN. And with a base of 25 Million you would think they could sell 10 Million in the first year. But there are PLENTY of Xbox360 consles all over the place but they are just sitting there.

    PS2 did better in the first year, even Xbox did better in the first year.

  • Dryker

    Posted Dec 17, 2006 12:28 am PT

    I have to say somethin'... as much as I tried to stifle it... I love how a 13 year old tries to school everyone on the way things are, how he's a "Man of the World" as far as console wars go, and that he "Faces" his readers with a "PS" that claims he prolly' won't return to this thread to read responses... and apparently did. Who needs reality TV? 13 year olds acting like 13 year olds, Fanboys acting like Fanboys... God, I can't stop reading this $h1T.

  • auron121

    Posted Dec 15, 2006 3:56 pm PT

    -i was surprised at how well the wii did....
    -i was not surprised at how the 360 did cause this is america...
    -and i knew ps3 wasnt going to sell as many copies as sony claimed but i really dont care if the "lied" -i dont get fan boys, i personally dont care who makes the system as long as there are awsome games with CONTENT not graphics in it
    -i will probably buy a ps3 and 360 this comming summer (MGS4 and HALO 3!!!!!!)

  • sh4d0wc4st3r

    Posted Dec 14, 2006 10:04 pm PT

    Sony DID sell out of PS3 though right?

  • evergrant2

    Posted Dec 14, 2006 6:03 pm PT

    Ya know its the kids who are the PS fanboys that got a PS1 as there first game system. if nintendo and sega had done things right with the 64 and the saturn the PS1 would have been here one year and gone the next. they were burned out from the war of the previous generation. Sony came in and took advantage of perfect timing and some really major retard moves by sega. I dont know why MS came on the scene, but i agree with one of the posters that apple is next to jump on the console market but somebody is going to have to go for that to happen. the market wont support 4 home consoles and PC gaming. A merger anyone? Nintendo and MS, or Nintendo and apple. MS and apple wont happen neither will apple and sony.

  • whaler06

    Posted Dec 13, 2006 5:28 pm PT

    All this tells me is that there is 1) Way to many young kids playing video games
    2) People didnt want to spend the money on the PS3

  • Impostorzim

    Posted Dec 13, 2006 4:46 pm PT

    Impressive - I say, Zelda proved us all wrong...well, at least me. I'm happy for Nintendo they must be partying and thanking god they had a low price per system.

  • virriador

    Posted Dec 13, 2006 4:04 pm PT

    Well let see how ps3 keep up with Nintendo

  • Imallvol7

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 9:51 pm PT

    LosDaddie said "LosDaddie

    The PS3 fanboys will defend Sony no matter what.

    Sony promised 400k PS3s in North America and 100k in Japan and couldn't even meet those meager numbers! Sony just lies and lies and fanboys will defend them no matter what

    Go, Wii60!!"

    So, your going to bash sony over this when both MS and Nintendo also failed to miss their launch totals??? Are we biased? This seems to sum up the ignorant sony bashing. And why does everyone focus on hardware so much. Its about the games.

  • Sharingan-X

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 6:34 pm PT

    so much for the the best Sony launch ever. Oh well there's still many years left, who knows who's gonna win this console war (I miss Sega *cry*)

  • coreyb42

    Posted Dec 12, 2006 8:44 am PT

    Everybody on this website needs to grow up, already.

  • lhardwick692

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 6:52 pm PT

    every time a new system--next generation consoles come out--there is always a downfall in sales amongst the generation of games and consoles that is out previous to it--its because the companies making the games are switching from on console to the next generation of the consoles--it happened when ps1 came out then ps2 now ps3--and xbox360 and the wii system--once they are able to start producing the consoles and good games to back up these consoles----then the sale will start booming..and everyone will be happy for all their hard work

  • stejmatty

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 10:07 am PT

    go nintendo!! all the way!

  • diablos101

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 6:38 am PT

    no suprise there about the DS, it is one cool system

  • True_Sephiroth8

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 5:30 am PT

    nickbakopoulos....

    Young I may be, It's apparent whose more respectable in this argument.

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Dec 11, 2006 5:24 am PT



    The PS3 fanboys will defend Sony no matter what.

    Sony promised 400k PS3s in North America and 100k in Japan and couldn't even meet those meager numbers! Sony just lies and lies and fanboys will defend them no matter what

    Go, Wii60!!

  • nickbakopoulos

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 3:47 pm PT

    I'm styill laughing over that first guy being 13 and talking like he's been around gaming for years, ZOMG!!! Thats too good. Hey little man, talk to me about consoles wars when you're a little older.

    The true hardcore who watched a great war were those of us who are around 22 and older. The old Genesis/Megadrive VS Super Nintendo Days. Now that was a console war!!! And the underdog Sega won out, it was almost like a Rocky movie....Those were the days. That was a war that produced classics like Sonic, Streets of Rage, Super Metroid, FIFA Soccer, jesus ive gone blank, Street Fighter, man that was awesome to see who could get the rights to that first, that was cool.

    Point is, as long as great games keep coming out who cares!! Sony will always be there, as will MS, and now it looks like Nintendo is going nowhere, so all the better for us. Just buy them all like me and enjoy every game that comes out. Im 26 by the way so Ive seen em all come and go, and am a Sega fanboy from waaayy back. Since they left, i just buy good games.

    By the way guys, in around 2 years Apple will enter the videogame market with a completely stunning, weak ass, non-user friendly games console call i-something and possibly dominate the market with an inferior product, you heard it here first.

  • True_Sephiroth8

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 2:28 pm PT

    360 is doing well, but it's lead won't last long.

    All of the parents know that PlaystaitonWii is the newest, hottest thing on the market, and that's what they wanna get their kids. If they have to get them a PSP or DS to hold them off, so be it.

    And with PS3, the outcome can't be predicted. I am 13 years old--But I've been here since PS1 and Nintendo when they ran out Sega. I'm amongst the few who have actually been here to watch these console wars play out. The only morons you'll see in this console war, you'll find entered during the X-box, PS2 and Gamecube Era. Every Moron entered during that Era.

    Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of smart, intelligent, opened minded people who got introduced to gaming through those 3, but through that gaming generation were the morons, who have corrupted gaming, born. Each system has its pros and cons, but for the love of God, stop ruining our fun.

    PS. If you have questions, comments, Criticisms, PM me, as I probably won't read back to this topic.

  • PolishPunisher

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 2:02 pm PT

    Xbox 360 >PS3 >DS >Wii

  • jofy

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 11:50 am PT

    They did not include the PS2 sales which were 644,000 beating Xbox 360 AGAIN!!!
    Exactly ,take that 360 HAHAHAHA;HEY LOSDADDIE SONY DIDNT LIE THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD SALE 400000 ps3 AND THEY DID 200000 IN US,100000 IN CANADA,100000 IN JAPAN,take a calculus one class at your university and do the count.SONY RULES

  • Ravenlore_basic

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 10:44 am PT

    They did not include the PS2 sales which were 644,000 beating Xbox 360 AGAIN!!!

  • Kantoma

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 9:01 am PT

    I'm not surprised DS is did so great, brother. i mean, i was at a Regional Swim meet for south Texas yesterday, and everyone and their grandma was waving that magic pen. As frr the Wii numbers, their great. im not saying they're better than PS3's, even though they are, because im a nintendo fan, so i don't talk stuff about other people's console preferences. Just game, brother. just game and have fun. All those numbers mean is more people got excited about the Wii. Go figure

  • faridmon

    Posted Dec 10, 2006 5:51 am PT

    am actually suprised by the DS numbers, complitly crashed every thing else, and even the PS2, i knew the DS would sell like crazy but almost a million in a month and everyone was talking about the Next-Gen CONSOLES, i think the big winner this Gen is the DS.

  • ultimate_zero

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 10:23 pm PT

    Watch the numbers next year when titles like MGS4, Lair, Halo3, and a lot of other games coming out.

  • Samurai_Sensei

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 5:52 pm PT

    $771 million is alot of gaming hardware

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 3:04 pm PT

    And it's great to see Gears of War on top!!

    Gears of War = Game of the Year

    Resistance Fall of Man = Flop of the Year

    9.6 > 8.6

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 3:00 pm PT



    Only 197k sold? Sony has been caught in ANOTHER LIE!! And Nintendo DID NOT LIE. NPD only counts the USA. The Wii also launched in CANADA.

    Yes, Nintendo sold over 600k Wiis in November.

    Go, Wii60!!

  • lalex2

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 2:48 pm PT

    So don't buy it and STFU!!

  • puppiemaster

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 12:27 pm PT

    I've bought every major console for the last 20+ years, but I can't think about buying a PS3, in the UK the PS3 equates to $1190, I dont want Bluray and no game not even if it wakes you up in the morning with a mug of tea is worth the $100 they will charge here, so I'll 360 ($580) and Wii($360) and wait for the PS3 to come down in price by about $600.

    The thing is, I'm the type of person that Sony should target, a high enough expendable income and a need to own all the gadgets I can get my hands on. If I cant justify buying one as a hardcore gamer I dont see mum and dads buying a PS3 system for their 7 - 15 year old at that price.

    Hardcore gamers are a small % of the total buying public and if a high % of them are moaning about the price, imagine non gamers reactions.

  • Bren128

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 11:36 am PT

    so wait, at the end of october the 360 had 6 million some consoles sold, and last month it sold 511,000, thats not quite what nextgenwars was showing was it??? 10 million? id think again..........

  • anamnawshad

    Posted Dec 9, 2006 4:05 am PT

    360 is doing great!
    DS =

  • PESon360

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 11:42 pm PT

    FFXII couldnt beat GoW... what a surprise...

  • icecoldkilla78

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 11:11 pm PT

    haha onlly 197000

  • theKSMM

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 9:13 pm PT

    Interesting that the two portable systems from Nintendo and Sony have experienced such growth. After being out for nearly two years, these are the two oldest "next-generation" systems, but I'm sure they experienced a bump in sales riding on the backs of their big brothers, the Wii and the PS3.

  • mariofan22

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 8:12 pm PT

    I find it rather odd that NO PS3 games are on the list at all - you would've expected at least something to make it, but the fact that Nintendogs managed to crack the PS3 says something about the amount of systems Sony made.

    I still think it was a blunder by Sony to put in a "Blu-Ray Player" - for the first time in awhile, I think Nintendo got it right.

    In the meantime, people are buying the 360 thanks to shortages on both of the other systems (especially the PS3). Parents in line for either one saw the cheap '360 and said, "Hey! I don't have to wait in line for that!"

    This is all ending up as an interesting season of sales.

  • Igwababa

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 7:48 pm PT

    doesnt anyone realize that th NDP doesnt even include walmart, seeing as how big walmart is I would easily say that just aftering walmrt you get much closer to the 600 000 nintendo claimed

  • Disciple_Gamer

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 7:18 pm PT

    The top ten games for november: "Gears of War" (Xbox 360), Microsoft: 1 million units "Final Fantasy XII" (PS2), Square Enix: 896,000 "Legend of Zelda" (Wii), Nintendo: 412,000 "Guitar Hero II" w/guitar (PS2), RedOctane: 356,000 "WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2007'' (PS2), THQ: 348,000 "Call of Duty 3" (360), Activision: 333,000 "Madden NFL 07" (PS2), Electronic Arts: 250,000 "Need for Speed Carbon" (PS2), EA: 237,000 "Nintendogs: Dalmations & Friends" (DS), Nintendo: 219,000 "Pokemon Ranger'' (DS), Nintendo: 206,000 Apparently they were not kidding when they said the attach rate for zelda to the wii was high.

  • PoopDog1027

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 5:20 pm PT

    Nex Gen- The real console wars are upon us.....

  • princeofgames90

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:58 pm PT

    This is jest the beggining

  • judgepeter813

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:40 pm PT

    yah i'm pretty sure 360 is gonna win this battle and war.

  • Bear-Max

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 3:39 pm PT

    -The Wii and PS3 would have sold more if they were available

    -The high 360 sales were probably down to people going in wanting PS3s and Wiis and not being able to get them, and finding a 360 + Gears combination pretty enticing.

    -It's unfair to say that the Wii and PS3 did better than the 360 on a day-to-day sales basis. They've just launched avec hype: of course they're going to sell better.

  • trackmanep233

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 1:33 pm PT

    nintendo needs to get their launch numbers right!

  • pp222

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 12:49 pm PT

    Haha, Zelda only games of the Wii & PS3 to get on the list. Take that crappy PS3!

  • ericyeah

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 12:13 pm PT

    NPD is just for the US mr spaceworlder and harakomeshi

  • Systemafunk

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 12:12 pm PT

    Don't you know anything about how companies work? The way NPD tracks sales and the way Nintendo tracks sales cant possibly be the exact same way, so of course the figures arent goning to match. Honestly...

    Also, it is impossible for any company to know how many systems sell because when they ship systems, they get payed immediately, not when the consoles sell. Therefore Nintendo would have to estimate based on number shipped x average % sold at major retailers.

    Since NPD probably gets their figures only from major retailers and not every last little local game store out there, Nintendos "estimate" is probably a lot more accurate than NPD supossed figures.

  • spaceworlder

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 11:39 am PT

    Nintendo lied. Wouldn't be the first time.

    can't wait to read about Nintendo ruling December's sales

    Wasn't Nintendo supposed to 'rule' November?

  • HarakoMeshi

    Posted Dec 8, 2006 10:48 am PT

    Nintendo's press release said 600,000 Wiis sold in the first 8 days. All those days fell inside November.

    NPD statistics 476,000 == Nintendo lied, or NPD are way off.

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