NPD: Xbox One, PS4 Sales in Canada Double That of 360/PS3's Launch

According to data released this week by the NPD Group, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles outsold their predecessors by 127 percent in Canada over their respective first eight months on the market. "Console sales in Canada have never been stronger," NPD's Darrell Ryce said in a blog post.

Ryce didn't share specific sales numbers or say if the Xbox One or PS4 is the more popular system in Canada. In the United States, the PS4 remained the top-selling console in June, even after Microsoft introduced the less-expensive Xbox One SKU.

Software sales were also on the rise, jumping 102 percent for Xbox One/PS4 compared to Xbox 360/PS3 over the first eight months of availability. However, tie ratio--that is, the number of games a console owner buys for their system--is down 11 percent for Xbox One and PS4 compared to when the Xbox 360 and PS3 launched.

The reason for this downturn, Ryce said, is that there is a "lack of truly compelling content at this time in either digital or physical format." He pointed out that this is a trend that has been seen throughout the history of new console launches and said he expects that it's only temporary. "It will be resolved in time for the holidays," Ryce said.

The Accessories category for Canada was also on the rise, though its jump of 29 percent was the least dramatic compared to the spikes in hardware and software sales.

Looking ahead, Ryce said that the video game industry in Canada is poised for growth, thanks in part to the bevy of upcoming high-profile new releases, as well as potential areas of growth. One of these markets could be toy-based games, Ryce said, pointing out that this has not yet been a focus for Xbox One or PS4. "But we can expect to see momentum on all fronts in the near future," he said.

Activision's Skylanders and Disney's Infinity products are available, or will be available, on Xbox One and PS4, but Microsoft and Sony do not make their own toy-based content for their consoles.