NPD: US game industry grows 31 percent in June

Software shows modest year-over-year growth compared to soaring console hardware and accessory revenues.

The industry-tracking NPD Group today released its US retail sales figures for June, and the results came in at the high end of analyst expectations. US software sales for last month hit $543 million according to NPD numbers, 22 percent higher than the $443.9 million sold for June 2006. Overall sales were up 31 percent to $1.1 billion, compared to June 2006's take of $843.6 million.

Hardware sales were up more dramatically, with the NPD Group showing a 34 percent year-over-year bump to $398.6 million, and accessory revenues up 58 percent to $161.3 million. Console sales were up 69 percent to $268 million on the strength of the Wii and the PlayStation 3 (neither of which had been released last June), while portable hardware sales actually slipped 6 percent from the year before, down to $130.6 million.

That's not to cast doom and gloom on the portable market, as last June's numbers were buffered by the launch of the DS Lite in the US. Nintendo's twin-screened portable was still the top-selling system of last month, racking up roughly 561,900 sales, with the Wii trailing a bit at 381,800 units sold for the month.

The rest of the field played out as it regularly has in recent months, with the PlayStation Portable (230,100 sold) leading the Xbox 360 (198,400 sold), and Sony's PlayStation 3 bringing up the rear with 98,500 systems sold. That might change somewhat for the next batch of NPD numbers, as the July announcements of a PS3 price cut, a redesigned PSP on the way, and the extension of the Xbox 360 warranty program could affect all those systems' sales performances.

[UPDATE] The NPD Group has since corrected its figure for PSP hardware sales, saying the system actually sold 290,100 units last month.

For the first half of 2007, software sales are up 24 percent from where they were last year at this time, all the way to $2.9 billion. Console hardware sales are nearly doubling last year's pace, up 98 percent to $1.7 billion from $853.5 million. Overall, the industry is up 43 percent over last year's numbers, hitting $6.1 billion in US retail sales for the first half of 2007, compared with $4.25 billion for the same period of 2006.

As for the games, Mario Party 8 for the Wii once again led all comers, this time with 426,200 copies sold. Nintendo's lock on the top slots of the chart was again retained, with the Wii Play and controller bundle selling 293,200, and the DS Lite Pokemon Diamond and Pearl moving 288,400 and 214,700 copies, respectively. Microsoft's racer Forza Motorsport 2 broke the Nintendo streak by coming in fifth with 197,400 copies sold, right ahead of Activision's Guitar Hero II bundles for the PlayStation 2 (197,350 sold) and Xbox 360 (177,600 sold). The top 20 games of the month are as follows:

Game--Publisher--System
1. Mario Party 8--Nintendo--Wii
2. Wii Play with Wii Remote--Nintendo--Wii
3. Pokemon Diamond--Nintendo--DS
4. Pokemon Pearl--Nintendo--DS
5. Forza Motorsport 2--Microsoft--Xbox 360
6. Guitar Hero II bundle--Activision--PS2
7. Guitar Hero II bundle--Activision--Xbox 360
8. Pokemon Battle Revolution--Nintendo--Wii
9. Resident Evil Wii Edition--Capcom--Wii
10. The Darkness--2K Games--Xbox 360
11. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2--Namco Bandai--PS2
12. Transformers: The Game--Activision--PS2
13. Tenchu Z--Microsoft--Xbox 360
14. New Super Mario Bros.--Nintendo--DS
15. Tomb Raider: Anniversary--Eidos--PS2
16. Super Paper Mario--Nintendo--Wii
17. Transformers: The Game--Activision--Xbox 360
18. MLB '07: The Show--SCEA--PS2
19. Big Brain Academy--Nintendo--Wii
20. DiRT--Codemasters--Xbox 360

180 Comments

  • Rakuho

    Posted Aug 8, 2007 3:23 pm PT

    yes, wii is a fad. it's just a popular thing that's in right now. lemming effect my friend.

  • fantasy_cheater

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 2:29 pm PT

    Good numbers but when you think about it, how many systems is Nintendo hording and releasing slowly over the month. When they finally come out old people buy not only the system but also Wii play b/c of its value. Then later they buy Big Brain. The Mario Party and Pokemon games have always sold well despite the lack of change. So Nintendo has finally found a way to cheat the market. By hording systems and releasing bad games that sell well around the same time. Ohh I own a Wii so the hate is coming from experience.

  • ebookerd1

    Posted Aug 1, 2007 6:49 am PT

    Wow Wii is sending a bundle. I'm surprised. I know it is not for me I'm into action games and Die Hard gamming. Not party games. I do think the system is fun though don't get me wrong, It just appeals to none gamers to me. But good numbers!!

  • melante

    Posted Jul 29, 2007 7:30 pm PT

    there must be something wrong with these data.... where is the PS3??

  • MrSickVisionz

    Posted Jul 27, 2007 3:51 pm PT

    Are people still thinking that the Wii is a fad? Its been selling almost 2x what the closest competition has for over 6 months straight now. Are people still saying, "what will Wii gamers play" when 3/5 (inlcuding the #1 and #2 overall sellers) of the top selling next-gen game sales are Wii games? Are they still saying, "What will they play in 2008?" when more and more 3rd party support is coming?

    I don't even own a Wii nor do I want a Wii, but lets get serious here. Its like saying the iPod is a still a fad even though its been the #1 thing for over half a decade straight and has no real signs of slowing down.
    --
    @YukoAsho"I wish Nintendo could get into the top ten with something other than Pokemon, Mario, Zelda and Metriod."

    You wish they could get into the top spot with something other than RPGs, Platformers, Action-Adventure, and FPS games? Theres not too many more genres out there.

  • bigstokes

    Posted Jul 27, 2007 1:34 pm PT

    So what there are no ps3 games in the top 20 count the ps2 games, that is part of sony they are still making big money off the ps2 why do you think they were only down 200 million last quarter and down means they didnt make as much money as they did the same time last year so they made a profit. Sony isnt trying to win a console war they are trying to have the biggest video game market share. The ps2 sells about 180,000 systems a month at the least just because the writers dont or wont include the ps2 sales in console sales charts doesnt mean its not selling. Sonys dead but they have the biggest market share OK.

  • GoodkupoBan

    Posted Jul 27, 2007 4:10 am PT

    I think a few games on that top 20 lists are a piece of **** and i feel sorry for the massive consumes that got suckered into buying it.

  • MKHavoc

    Posted Jul 26, 2007 5:32 pm PT

    Why on earth is Wii play selling so well? I'll admit, I got suckered into buying that game too. I thought, "I can get a controller and a game for an extra $10, great". Sadly, the game gets boring after playing all the minigames once. People please listen to me. STOP BUYING THIS!!!

  • AngelsongCA

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 6:42 pm PT

    @YukoAsho"I wish Nintendo could get into the top ten with something other than Pokemon, Mario, Zelda and Metriod."

    Wii Play. Wish granted.

  • darthzew

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 5:39 pm PT

    Wow, not a one single PS3 game. It's articles like these that I see myself correct, but then again, I see this in Game Informer every month. Anyway, apart from that, this is good news for everyone. More money is more games and more games is me happy!

  • soldier1993

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 2:17 pm PT

    WOWOWOW That list SUCKS a LOT

  • lamprey263

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 1:25 pm PT

    Wow, despite how bad the reviews were for Pokemon Battle Revolution, Wii Play, Transformers, Tenchu Z, and Mario Party 8, people are still buying the games; and with all the crap games people are buying I'm surprised nobody picked up the new Harry Potter game.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 7:06 am PT

    Can't expect too much growth when Mario Party 8 and Wii Play are on the top two.

  • Lord_Artix

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 6:34 am PT

    Metroid..right what story?

    I assume you just went through the games doing what it said to do? If you actually take the time to do the scans and all, you learn that there is a rather deep story behind it.

    Isn't Mario Party 8 a poorly developed piece of poo? How on earth is it selling so well?

    I'm the first to admit I'm a Nintendo fanboy, and I'll be damned if I can explain it...

  • YukoAsho

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 6:15 am PT

    I wish Nintendo could get into the top ten with something other than Pokemon, Mario, Zelda and Metriod. Funny how a system that's supposed to be bringing all these new people is still dominated by traditional Nintendo franchise. Also, RE4's the first 3rd party Wii game to sell in the NPD top ten since launch! So who cares that the system's being sold by everyone if the games are only being bought by Nintendo's long-term audiences?

  • LosDaddie

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 5:35 am PT

    Another GREAT month!

    Xbox360 has 2-times the sales of the PS3.
    6 Xbox360 games in the Top 20.
    0 PS3 games in the Top 20 ( )

    This is the generation Sony's dominance ends!!

  • mrx231

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 1:51 am PT

    i just had a.....what do you call it well lets call it a moment of clarity on the whole consle war thing i was cleaning out my closet and at the back of it under all the empty Dr. Pepper cans & discarded pizza boxes i found my og launch day *SEGA DREAMCAST* i picked it up i loked at it for a good 5 min my first thought was the memory of opening it playing power stone having a blast than another dark memory poped into my head it was when i red that sega was done with consoles and the dreamcast was dead i felt realy bad i mean i got over it but still it hurts when yore console of choice dies i mean youre average gamer can only afford or simply only chooses one console and when it dies that sucks total nard that is when it hit me the reason these console wars are so heated is because we have all seen consoles die its hapend before it will happen again and any ground loss pushes us closer to the brink so...... from a former console fan boy to those who curently fight the war i salute you

  • donathos

    Posted Jul 25, 2007 12:01 am PT

    You know, my fiancee and I had another couple over for dinner a couple of months ago and we wound up playing Wii Bowling together. The woman in the other couple, who normally doesn't like video games, loved it; she and her boyfriend decided that they, too, must have a Wii.

    My fiancee is another woman who doesn't normally like to play video games. After Wii Sports, however, she wanted (and purchased for us) both Cooking Mama and Big Brain Academy. Feeling good about the Wii, I talked her into playing a game of Resident Evil 4; due to the intuitiveness of using the remote as a gun, she's actually not that bad, and she likes the game a lot.

    This is what Nintendo has done/is doing. Yes, the XBox 360 and PS3 are able to make the same first person shooters and war commando games we've seen a hundred times... with slightly improved graphics. I understand why 14 year old boys love that. But Nintendo is providing options for other people: for adults, for parents, for women and the men who date them and live with them.

    The "hardcore gamers" (whatever *that* means; I've been playing video games since I was five, all different types, so I think I ought to qualify... but I'm able to enjoy the Wii, so whatever) will have to learn to live with the numbers we're seeing... and the numbers are ridiculous: the Wii is outselling the 360 and PS3 *combined*; Nintendo has six of the top ten selling games, including the top four; hell, the Game Boy Advance(!) is outselling the PS3; the numbers are even worse in Japan, for whatever that's worth.

    I mean, think about it -- Nintendo is dominating the field right now, and the Wii is still struggling to get off the ground. Third party support has been sluggish, with a lot of companies playing "wait and see" before throwing real resources into the Wii, and others just sloppily porting stuff over. Now that they see the market the Wii can tap into, this will change. In fact, it already is: we can see companies like LucasArts and Rockstar starting to warm up to Nintendo. Now consider that in the next several months, Nintendo is going to release: SSBB, Metroid and Mario Kart... and, oh yeah, a new Super Mario title. Also, the Wii is going to be getting Guitar Hero III (the part two of which accounts for two more spots in the game top 10 for June). None of this takes into account the title that Nintendo considered its center piece for the latest E3, Wii Fit. Who knows? Maybe it'll be a bust... but... on the other hand, it could be the next big mainstream breakthrough hit, you know?

    I understand the ranting and raving against the Wii from other systems' fanboys. If I were them, I'd be worried, too.

    Yeah... maybe the Wii *is* a fad. But the numbers haven't borne that out yet. Right now, it looks like the PS3 isn't even going to get the chance to be a "fad" (and remember that Nintendo makes profit on every console sold, whereas Sony *loses* money on the systems that they manage to sell)... the future will tell, but I think Nintendo's future, for a host of reasons, looks incredibly bright.

  • EarthThatWas

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 1:03 pm PT

    Why do these articles always spawn some half-a$$ed discussion about who the better company is? Who gives a crap? Play what you like. Don't play what you don't. I mean seriously, are any of us really going to be playing these games ten years from now?

  • JAREDJR

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 12:32 pm PT

    It's hard for the PS3 to live up to the success of the PS2. Just like it is easy for Nintendo to improve upon their Gamecube effort. In terms of where companies are headed unless they change their ways: Nintendo = up. Sony = down. Microsoft = stagnant. Nintendo is being successful in their new direction, Sony isn't. Microsoft can be seen as successful, but only as the result of releasing a year ahead of the competition. We won't be able to tell whether these numbers were a sign of things to come, or just an aberration, for many months down the road.

  • funky_muzic

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 12:25 pm PT

    Hey, why didn't GameSpot mention the PS2 (270,000 units sold) or the Game Boy Advance (113,000 units sold)? I can understand the PS2, with their HUGE game library...but how can the GBA beat the PS3? Man, that's pretty sad for Sony. At least they're still making money off of the PS2.

  • fizzyfunk

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 12:22 pm PT

    .... Is it april 1st today? This is the best joke i ever did see!!

  • Sw0rDMaN

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 11:43 am PT

    Wii play at number 2 lol The games in that are so lame after 2 days of playing them.

  • Disciple_Gamer

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 11:41 am PT

    Once again the ps3 does not have a game in the top 20. You would think one game would make it since Tenchu Z made the list.

  • seg555

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 11:32 am PT

    the ps2 the death of the ps3

  • Smogtoe

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 11:24 am PT

    Interesting how when Nintendo was down.....Sony and Xbox fanboys kicked em in the gut over the gamecube. Now, Nintendo is on top again, and guess what the fanboys are at it again. I personally, haven't played Mario Party 8 so I can't criticize, but for all you people that don't understand and think that it's a crappy game, you are forgetting one small detail......there is a plethora of kids out there. Tons of these kids are spawn of the adults that were all up in some Nintendo during the best years! So therefore, they have passed on the love of Mario games to there kids! It's really only a bad game, if you are not a Mario fan. A mario fan will buy the game even if its not a great game, and there are a lot........TONS of Mario fans out there!
    And for all the belly achers, and all the bashers that are saying that Microsoft is going to be on top this holiday season,.....whatever! We'll see what happens! You seem to forget ........(blinded by videos of Halo 3 I guess) ...Metroid Prime 3 hits August ........Super Mario Galaxy hits November, and .......... Super Smash hits December! But I forget that Halo 3 hits in September....oops, but what other games are coming out? ...................And I'm not a fanboy......I'm trying to make a good point ....but truthfully it's like comparing apples to oranges. I actually like the Xbox 360.....and Halo.........I play the Halo series quite often with my brother-in-law and we have a blast! I was trying to prove a point!

  • Robert_Dillon

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 10:47 am PT

    Look Ma! Nintendo resold me all my old Nintendo games. And this time it's with a new controller.

  • Tenjikuronin

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 10:43 am PT

    Pokemon is still in the top five. Not bad for a "fad" that was supposed to end in 1999....

  • Ace513

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 10:09 am PT

    Nice going nintendo. Cant wait for the sales when the big 3 games come out.

  • Great_Ragnarok

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 10:06 am PT

    Nintendos strategy in Wii to change the interface is very clever.and as a result it managed to attract people who aren't that serious about gaming.However games are about the outputs and nintendo has done little in this department.just the same rehash of the old series. Its great that more people are coming to play games but a simplified controller is not good enough to me.Im sure there will be hard games for it. But nothing really beats a keyboard or controllers like X360.

  • Awakaga

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 9:07 am PT

    Janpieterzun, I never claimed to say the Wii is for everyone. I just don't see why its such a fad amongst hardcore gamers to write the Wii off as a fad. I really don't disdain graphics, I just turned my 360 off to be honest I love both my 360 and my Wii, I just don't see why it is an imposibilty that the Wii brings out some stuff for hardcore gamers? It hasn't even been out a year and we hardly know what its future holds. To write off the Wii right now as a hardcore gamer would be almost like writing the 360 off when it came out with crap launch titles.

  • famguyrulz

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 8:54 am PT

    its funny how every month new sales charts are up and nintendo is first yet again and the same ol haters come out saying the wii has bad graphics or the wii is for kids or the wii is a fad or the wii is and insult to hardcore gamer, well im a hardcore gamer i have a 360 and a wii soon a ps3 and i dont see what the problem is its a fun consel and you get to play games like you never played them before. and looking at the upcoming titles they will only get better. the next gen consels i garuntee you will have the same type of motion controls as the wii nintendo just beat everyone t the punch.

  • quietguy

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 8:52 am PT

    And majority of hardcore gamers must bash the Wii; Must I remind you all that the proportion of casual gamers to hardcore gamers outnumbers us all by 400,000:1 ">_>

    Edit:

    Not to mention that the Wii is not even a year old yet btw.

  • packernation31 posted Jul 24, 2007 8:39 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    packernation31

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 8:39 am PT (hide)

    what a waste nintendo is

  • Uchiha_madara

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 8:36 am PT

    first 4 is nintendo followed by microsoft... hmmm..... i also see alot of activision but were is EA??

  • Super-Mario-Fan

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 8:32 am PT

    Rofl at people who are mad that Mario Party 8 is #1.

  • Janpieterzun

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 8:19 am PT

    Awakaga, I'm a hardcore game and I DONT enjoy the WII. Its a matter of preference. I wont call it a fad, i have friends that have it, and when over their place we all usually end up playing his 360 whether to checkout a trailer on live or whatever. He does try to convince us to get a WII, hes damn near 30 again, he just get stares from myself and friends. Please don't make the assumption that this system is some magical box that makes everyone happy, it doesn't, some people like myself view it as a gimmicky machine that has millions fooled. The new Shiny. This is just my opinion doesn't matter but the same disdain you might display for the "graphics" for the 360 and ps3, alot have for the Wii. As record shows the 360 has PLENTY of deep games and everything ive seen from Wii library are shallow party games. Zelda? yea the 20th incarnation that panders into peoples nostalgia for that series, Metroid..right what story? I say enjoy our respective system of choice, but the speak about hardcore gamers and the "hardcore" consoles (360/PS3) with passing disinterest as if they were shallow systems with cheap incomplex party games that wows the neighbors...oh wait.

  • Awakaga

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 8:04 am PT

    This is mainly directed as a response to you PatL Tornado.

    First, I really don't see what makes the Wii a "novelty machine" or how it is an insult to gamers. While it may not have a massive quantity of games marketed for the hardcore gamer, that doesn't mean it never will or that the hardcore gamer can't enjoy it. To put it simply, its not purely fanboys and casual gamers enjoying the Wii. As for your comments about the graphics? Since when did graphics make a good game? I'd rather look at Shadow of the Colossus or Okami than 95% of the games on 360 and PS3.

    "We harcore gamers are ashamed on how pathetic marketing ploy's like Wii are dragging the industry down." You can have your opinion, but really speak for yourself because you're one of the few dissident voices I hear.

  • Sonovius

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 7:58 am PT

    maybe i should try this new playstation two fad.

  • PatLTornado posted Jul 24, 2007 7:24 am PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    PatLTornado

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 7:24 am PT (hide)

    Whoopy doo! More poor results from a stagnationed industry that nintendo has the upper hand on for now just cause of the cheap ass price tag!

    This is pathetic. It's not that because Wii is selling, it's because Mario Party 8 is also selling and Nintendo and thier idiot fanboys continue to take a advantage of people for all thier worth. Yeah everybody they can make the same old lame ass arguments about Nintendo bring ing creativity to the industry when any hardcore gamer can see that Wii is nothing but in insult to gamers falsely marketed as next-gen console its a novelty machine pure and simple.

    Cheer all you want fanboys. But once the holidays come around, the honeymoon with be over. Mircosoft will have a more decent lineup and a 360 price cut while Wii owners wll have a lame yoga game to play with and a new add on for the remote, with a poor holiday showing the cries of Wii's uselessness will be heard louder than before and the Wii soon end up like Gamecube but since it's graphics are dated it will die younger.

    SEGA, if you can hear us. Now is the time to bring out a NEW console. We harcore gamers are ashamed on how pathetic marketing ploy's like Wii are dragging the industry down. We know that you still have what it takes to build a TRUE next gen console and your are still capable of amazing technology the Japanese see it and would love to buy a console just to play true arcade ports.

    I know, I just know you'll be back in the next round I await that day you return with great dignity and honor.

  • StonyShred420

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 7:15 am PT

    AHAHAHAHAHA. Plain and simple, most of us here live in America...so who cares about how these systems sell in Japan, let them worry about that and we'll worry about sales in the US. Again 360 beat the PS3...is that really a surprise? No! Come on PS3 fan boys, for now give it up. Stop saying your PS3 is better than the 360 because the numbers do not lie, 360is the better system at the momment. Your system can have all the bells in whistles in the world, but if it doesn't have games or good games, your techs and specs don't mean a thing.

  • fidothe

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 6:55 am PT

    Sad that companys can put out these awful games and poeple eat them up. I counted less then 6 good games...

  • Yuck_Too

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 6:27 am PT

    --muff07 --
    Japan and the PS3 are a big embarrassment to Sony. They outsell the 360 there 3:1 (12,000 PS3 vs. 4,000 X360's) and that hardly makes up for the clobbering they take in America where it's 2:1 for the 360 and where they sell 100,000's

    As for people saying these games suck...it's called mass market vs. hardcore. Companies are in business to make money and frankly while the hardcore might spend more on an individual level mass market dominates them completely.

  • Killer2401

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 6:25 am PT

    Pokemon ownz.

  • umbracascade

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 6:07 am PT

    the only people who play mario party are those who have suffered brain trauma from playing the first few mario party games

  • Spartan1017

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 5:44 am PT

    that's a lot of games, to bad most of them suck

  • JAREDJR

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 5:38 am PT

    It's slightly frustrating that Nintendo can half-a** a game and sell so much to consumers who are expecting quality, and then a third party finally puts out a great wii game, and only comes ninth. Oh well, there's always next month.

  • muff07

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 5:24 am PT

    for all those people out bashing the ps3 you do realise this is just one market and with the ps3 beating the 360 in both europe and japan there sales are alot closer than many of you would think
    athlough admitidly the wii is tanking everything except the ds and id say by the end of the year will have a larger install than the 360

  • immortal_rose

    Posted Jul 24, 2007 5:18 am PT

    come on sony, tell me where is ps3?

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