Canadian game sales up 78 percent in August

Last month, the PlayStation 3 successfully rode its E3 Media & Business Summit price cut past its Microsoft-created rival in the Canadian console sales charts, narrowly besting the Xbox 360 by a margin of 2,000 systems. However, a repeat performance was not in the cards for Sony's console, as reflected by the industry-tracking NPD Group's August charts for the Great White North.

Reflective of the US's nearly $1 billion haul in hardware, software, and accessories in August, Canada pulled in nearly C$100 million (about $98.5 million) in sales this month, up 78 percent compared to $51.8 million as of this time last year. Canada's year-to-date tally is also up to nearly C$675 million (about $665 million), a year-over-year increase of nearly 63 percent.

The platform wars raging between Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have continued to spur sales north of the border. While slightly down from the 15,000 units moved last month, the PlayStation 3 maintained its hardware push with 12,700 units for the month. However, riding its own early-August price cut, the Xbox 360 saw sales shoot up more than 100 percent to 26,700, from 13,000 in July.

While good enough to top the PlayStation 2's 20,800 sold, these numbers were not enough to wrest away the sales-leader title from Nintendo. The Nintendo DS again outsold all other hardware with 51,800 units, and the Wii led consoles with 34,400 systems. Rounding out the hardware charts, Sony's PlayStation Portable accrued 9,000 sales, while Nintendo's Game Boy Advance--which NPD has ceased to report in the US--sold 6,400 units.

Again proving the effect of Nintendo's and Sony's entrance into the next-generation contest, hardware sales have been a primary contributor to this year's dramatic rise in sales. In all, hardware sales for the month were up nearly 115 percent compared to this time last year, with console hardware alone having spiked by more than 221 percent year-over-year.

Hardware sales totaled more than C$40 million (about $39.4 million) for the month, up from last year's August numbers of just under C$20 million (about $19.7 million), with console sales rising from C$9.5 million (about $9.3 million) to C$30.7 million (about $30.2 million). Console hardware also saw a significant year-over-year bump, rising 30 percent, from C$7.3 million (about $7.2 million) to C$9.6 million (about $9.4 million). Likewise, accessories spiked 77 percent, from C$6 million (about $5.9 million) a year ago to C$10.6 million (about $10.4 million).

Exhibiting significant, though less dramatic, growth, software sales were also up nearly 43 percent in Canada. Neck and neck with hardware revenues, software sales for August tallied more than C$41 million (about $40.4 million). Console software saw the most significant rise, with the industry pulling in $30.5 million (about $30 million), a 52 percent uptick from last August's C$20 million (about $19.7 million). Portable software was also up nearly 22 percent, from C$8.8 million (about $8.6 million) to C$10.7 million (about $10.5 million). The best-selling software titles for the month are listed below.

Canada's top-10 selling non-PC games for August 2007:
1. BioShock--X360
2. Madden NFL 08--X360
3. Wii Play with Wii Remote--Wii
4. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption--Wii
5. Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day--DS
6. Guitar Hero 2 with Guitar--PS2
7. Madden NFL 08--PS2
8. Mario Strikers Charged--Wii
9. Guitar Hero 2 with Guitar--X360
10. New Super Mario Bros.--DS