NPD: Hardware up, software down in April

Latest report sends mixed messages about US game industry; Pokémon top game, DS top handheld, Wii top console.

Today, research firm NPD Funworld released its sales figures for its April 2007 reporting period. Overall, the game industry saw another growth month, with $838.6 million in US sales of game hardware, software, and accessories--a 20 percent year-over-year increase.

When broken down, though, NPD's latest report paints a more mixed picture of the state of the US game industry. Most noticeable was the effect of April's scant release schedule. Non-PC game software sales flatlined at $389.8 million, a 1 percent decline from April 2006, when Kingdom Hearts II and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion led a pack of popular releases. However, this year, console software sales slid a dramatic 19 percent year-on-year during the month, totaling only $248.3 million. The slack was picked up by handheld software, which surged 61 percent to $141.5 million, thanks to a double shot of white-hot Pokémon titles. (See below.)

Conversely, hardware sales rose a robust 52 percent to reach 338.4 million during the month. The $99 million in portable hardware revenue was fueled by the DS, which was the month's best-selling platform with 471,000 units. The dual-screen handheld was followed by the PlayStation Portable (183,000 units) and the venerable Game Boy Advance (84,000 units).

Console hardware sales tallied $239.4 million, a 56 percent year-on-year increase. The big winner was the Wii, which sold 360,000 units despite being almost impossible to find at retailers. The PlayStation 2 sold 194,000 units, followed by the Xbox 360 with 174,000 units. The controversy-racked PlayStation 3 was far behind--selling just 82,000 units--but was ahead of the discontinued GameCube's weak 13,000-unit total. (NPD no longer tracks original Xbox hardware, which has also ceased production.)

The PS3 was entirely absent from NPD's top 10 software chart, which was dominated by Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl for the DS. The dynamic duo sold a combined 1.75 million units in just 14 days, with the former (1.045 milllion) handily besting the latter (712,000 units). Pearl's haul was more than double the 352,000 copies that third-place finisher Super Paper Mario sold, and nearly three times that of fourth-place Wii Play's 249,000 units.

Following the block of Nintendo titles came a quartet of Activision games. The 360 Guitar Hero II finished fifth with 197,000 units sold, just ahead of the PS2 edition's 142,000-unit total. The 360 and PS2 versions of the lukewarmly reviewed Spider-Man 3 followed (117,000 and 105,000 units, respectively), with God of War II (PS2--101,000 units) and MLB '07: The Show (PS2--79,000 units) bringing up the rear.

Year to date, the industry has generated some $4.2 billion of hardware, software, and accessories sales, up 46 percent from the same time during 2006. Hardware is up 83 percent at $1.6 billion, software has risen 23 percent to $2 billion, and accessories have climbed 56 percent to $600 million.

APRIL 2007 US HARDWARE SALES (All numbers approximate)
1) DS: 471,000
2) Wii: 360,000
3) PlayStation 2: 194,000
4) PlayStation Portable: 183,000
5) Xbox 360: 174,000
6) Game Boy Advance: 84,000
7) PlayStation 3: 82,000
8) GameCube: 13,000

APRIL 2007 US SOFTWARE SALES (All numbers approximate)
1) Pokémon Diamond (DS - Nintendo) 1.045 million
2) Pokémon Pearl (DS - Nintendo) 712,000
3) Super Paper Mario (Wii - Nintendo) 352,000
4) Wii Play (with Wii Remote - Wii) 249,000
5) Guitar Hero II (with Guitar - Xbox 360 - Activision) 197,000
6) Guitar Hero II (with Guitar - PS2 - Activision) 142,000
7) Spider-Man 3 (360 - Activision) 117,000
8) Spider-Man 3 (PS2 - Activision) 105,000
9) God of War II (PS2 - SCEA) 101,000
10) MLB '07: The Show (PS2 - SCEA) 79,000

575 Comments

  • chewygun

    Posted Aug 19, 2007 9:24 pm PT

    i gotta say...good job nintendo

  • playstation_wii

    Posted Aug 17, 2007 8:56 pm PT

    How is the GBA still producing systems?!?!?!?!

  • lobos5000

    Posted Jul 7, 2007 6:32 pm PT

    damn that is alot of money$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  • compugraphic

    Posted Jun 14, 2007 4:22 pm PT

    Just the simple fact that the 4 year old gba sp is outselling 'The greatest next gen console" has to mean something to sony.

    I know alot of those ds sales are in japan but it's still funny.

    When I tell my PS fanboy friends at school the ps3 is so low on the charts and DS is beating them there like "Thats because it sells so much in japan that doesn't count!!!" lol

  • XxTrillvillexX9

    Posted Jun 11, 2007 6:14 pm PT

    Also considering MS has stopped production with the Xbox, and doesn't have a handheld (yet).

  • peacebringer

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 3:52 pm PT

    1) DS: 471,000(Nintendo)
    2) Wii: 360,000(Nintendo)
    3) PlayStation 2: 194,000(Sony)
    4) PlayStation Portable: 183,000(Sony)

  • peacebringer

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 3:48 pm PT

    Sony an Microsoft are out of this. they got the most powerful systems and there fighting for 2nd place haha 360 has more units in houses and it's only got 2 titles in the top ten lol. Sure the PS3 might suck right now but looking at these numbers you can Say Sony and Nintendo are in Control of the Videogame industry, unless your a blind fanboy.

  • theKSMM

    Posted Jun 3, 2007 7:10 pm PT

    Nintendo's idea to make two low-cost systems (a handheld and a home console) that target mainstream / would-be gamers is proving to be a stroke of genius. I still wonder if their third-party game sales will see any increase though. To date it looks like their software success is still driven by established exclusive franchises (e.g. Mario and Pokemon).

    One question I do have is about the success of the GBA. It is a great system to be sure, but why are people still buying it? I would think that for new purchases, it would be easy to justify the upgrade to a DS given that the price of the GBA has held steady for years now. And it still protects one's investment in their GBA game library. I just don't get it.

  • great_fox1

    Posted May 28, 2007 5:00 am PT

    Well... well... well....

    We see the friuts of nintendos future forecast.
    Graphics are not what people want.

    Congrats to nintendo.

    I dont want to sound like a fanboy. But its good to see nintendo is giving it back to sony. Word of advice.... Hire new market researchers or something.

  • Valandil1983

    Posted May 25, 2007 2:24 pm PT

    After almost a century of Nintendo getting being stamped as "kiddie", they are finally rewarded for their philosophy in making videogames. Seeing those PS3-sales decline/stay at such an embarrassing low level ist kind of a satisfaction. Nevertheless I hope Sony is going to find back to old strength - big N tends to get too arrogant without serious competitors.

  • bennae66

    Posted May 23, 2007 10:18 pm PT

    go the big N, go the wii60 juggernaut. sony get your act together and i may consider buying one of your things. whats it called again? god its so far down the list i cant see the name...

  • smoothn00dle

    Posted May 23, 2007 5:05 pm PT

    PS2 still outsell Xbox360. Ps2 is a problem for Xbox and Wii. It is because continuously release of new game like Guitar hero, Singstar and Buzz will keep PS2 alive. Come to think of it, PS2 add new motion controller is a Wii and only cost 199 Aus dollars!

  • brosim1104

    Posted May 23, 2007 10:24 am PT

    It feels good to see Ninty back in first place. DS surely is going to outsells everything, but i 'm not so sure for the Wii... Here in Greece at least, I can't see as games as for the others consoles...

  • THE_WHITE_MAGE

    Posted May 22, 2007 2:26 pm PT

    I love the way Gamespot tries to make the PS3's sales sound better. They were better than the discontinued Gamecube's WEAK sales. HAHA, of course they are weak. The Gamecube has been discontinued!!! The fact that the PS3 has to be compared to a discontinued console to make it sound better is a testament to how badly in trouble it really is.

  • MrSickVisionz

    Posted May 22, 2007 8:19 am PT

    Nintendo owns software and hardware sales... and has been doing so for like the past 7 months. I have to congratulate them. I doubted them at first but i've heard friends of mine talk about how fun it is and i've heard an elderly couple talking about how much fun it is and how they want one.

    PS3... lets all look at the numbers and remember that they just INCREASED the price of getting one by $100 (via eliminating the $499 model). I can't wait till next month so we can see if the strategy of, "increasing the price to get more sales" works.

    If they had stopped producing gamecubes last month, the PS3 would be getting beat by:

    All current-gen consoles
    All current-gen portables
    All last-gen consoles &
    All last-gen portables.

    aka Every serious video game device currently being manufactured and sold on Earth. And by serious i'm suggsting that we not count things like those $39 101 game portable things that they sell on TV @ like 2am.

  • boomshakalaka88

    Posted May 21, 2007 8:45 pm PT

    Wii=awesomeness
    xbox 360=awesomeness
    PS3=Michael jackson of consoles

  • DarkSoldier56

    Posted May 21, 2007 11:41 am PT

    215np

    your sounding a little like a fanboy there lol

  • moocow21

    Posted May 21, 2007 9:51 am PT

    Why people are buying so many Wiis (with the current lack of games) is too crazy enough for me to comprehend, but why people are still buying GameCubes doesn't add up at all.

  • metc123

    Posted May 21, 2007 9:15 am PT

    PS3 and XBOX 360 are fighthing for the same auidence........ Wii is selling so strong because its opened up the market.... all i can say is Wait for the 1st party Gems.. then watch the Wii sales. (Metroid, Galaxy, Brawl,)

    I own a 360 and plan to buy a wii so im no fanboy

  • ziutek2

    Posted May 21, 2007 8:06 am PT

    PS2 GOES DOWN.

    2007: April / March /February /January
    Wii: 360,000 / 259,000 / 335,000 / 436,000 Xbox 360: 174,000 / 199,000 / 228,000 / 249,000 PlayStation 3: 82,000 / 130,000 / 127,000 / 244,000 Nintendo DS: 471,000 / 508,000 / 485,000 / 239,000 PSP: 183,000 / 180,000 / 176,000 / 221,000 PlayStation 2: 194,000 / 280,000 / 295,000 / 300,000

  • hittin

    Posted May 21, 2007 7:39 am PT

    PS3 isn't in there. Expected though, what a flop.

  • kornopolis

    Posted May 21, 2007 1:54 am PT

    This is just the beginning, expect next year to be alot more interesting. Lots of third party support for all systems hopefully! Probably will be alot Wii exclusives this time around

  • Bigboss232

    Posted May 20, 2007 9:43 pm PT

    lol and i thoght all the haters thought the psp is dead or dying this is more than enought proof has for ps3 im heavily disapointed only a price drop can save it imo ):

  • xfan-atic

    Posted May 20, 2007 9:06 pm PT

    Wii is selling very good. Ps3 sucks as always, whatever you are a fan or not just admit it. IMO X360 sales are low because everyone is waiting for two things: new xbox 360 with 65 nanochips and Halo 3. In september watch the x360 sales go wild...

  • Squirrelman5674 posted May 20, 2007 7:32 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Squirrelman5674

    Posted May 20, 2007 7:32 pm PT (hide)

    Why are people still buying pokemon games?

  • zhane12

    Posted May 20, 2007 6:03 pm PT

    Go Wii!!

  • Haruhi_love

    Posted May 20, 2007 4:09 pm PT

    haha lol cant believe PSP is outselling 360 well i sort of can. hehe
    but PS3 not so good hmmm!!!!! need to pick up and start selling like 3-1 to every other console! i wish ahha

  • 215np posted May 20, 2007 3:54 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    215np

    Posted May 20, 2007 3:54 pm PT (hide)

    The PS2 is still selling more than the 360

  • Tking1293

    Posted May 20, 2007 3:19 pm PT

    The GBA sold more than the PS3.....this should be a message to Sony.

  • StarFoxCOM

    Posted May 20, 2007 3:06 pm PT

    Holy Pokemon!

  • zidura

    Posted May 20, 2007 9:37 am PT

    Wow the PS3 is hurting ... those are some low numbers. How can a company expect to make any money on a platform with so few owners? Sony better change their tactics soon.

  • metc123

    Posted May 20, 2007 6:18 am PT

    Nintendo DS is a powerhouse right now... as for Wii dont call it a comeback
    LoL @ GBA beating PS3....... which is still running stong
    so innovation (Wii + DS) beats Hi Def (PS3 360 PSP)
    :-)

  • MattDark

    Posted May 20, 2007 1:15 am PT

    star77241 , you cant really say that seeing how people are still buying PS2's, considering most of gaming population already has a PS2, yet they still sell.
    So its still highly likcly that people may still want a 360 yet havent got round to buying it, just because somethings been out a year doesnt mean everyone who wants it has to go and get it then...

    Like me, I'll eventually want to get the PS3, once little big planet and some other decent games have came out, but im not going to but it now just because its out already. Not that i'd have a hard time doing that right now...

  • darkangel494

    Posted May 20, 2007 12:46 am PT

    I agree with ko_threat, people wouldnt buy a ps2 while their waiting for a ps3 to go down in price as seeing that they just bought a last gen console their hardly rich people

  • ko_threat

    Posted May 19, 2007 11:59 pm PT

    alessimaynn, you make it seem like the Xbox 360 is doing horrible, while the ps3 isnt doing so bad. The only reason PS2 and PSP are still selling well is because they are cheap and have great new games coming out. Sure the Xbox 360 may be competing with the PS2, but what is the PS3 competing with? The Game Boy Advance?

  • alessimaynn

    Posted May 19, 2007 10:48 pm PT

    hahaha thats funny the PS2 sold more than the 360....even the PSP sold more.....and yea the 360 sold more than the ps3 it looks like to me that most people are still buying PS2 and there waiting for the price of the PS3 to go down....and i hope you have enough since to know what happens then.....its funny how in software sells the 360 is direct competition with the ps2.....and its last gen....crazy **** ill juss wait for sony to put out better games and watch everybody who has a PS2 will upgrade to the PS3...then it will be a happy day.

  • blue-fish

    Posted May 19, 2007 5:00 pm PT

    hahaha, Wii outsold PS3 at 3:1 and it had practically ONE RELEASE! HAHAHA

  • david2475

    Posted May 19, 2007 3:44 pm PT

    not many good games coming out to late this year now.

  • david2475

    Posted May 19, 2007 3:42 pm PT

    wow the ps2's going well

  • Ice_man_1985

    Posted May 19, 2007 2:04 pm PT

    lol, and sony said ''Wii is not a next gen, and should not compete''

  • greenleaflink

    Posted May 19, 2007 11:46 am PT

    Nintendo makes one game a month, and it is polished and consumers come to trust they are getting a decent product.

    If EA. and Ubisoft took sometime to polish their games then perhaps they will do better, were not stupid! we dont buy garbage, and then they wonder why it doesnt sell well.

    all EA'S titles lack polish, even Godfather, and other titles are falling flat because they are just ports.
    like Shiggy said, they need to put strong teams on products otherwise no $$$.

  • star77241

    Posted May 19, 2007 10:54 am PT

    You can't really count the 360 because it was release a year before the other ones, so anyone who wanted probably already has one.

  • Crazy_Kid314

    Posted May 19, 2007 10:13 am PT

    PS3 had this comming

  • Covert8700

    Posted May 19, 2007 9:37 am PT

    UMMM.......LETS JUST SAY 360 ALL THE WAY........NOTHING ELSE REALLY BUT............360 ALL THE WAY

  • Covert8700 posted May 19, 2007 9:37 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Covert8700

    Posted May 19, 2007 9:37 am PT (hide)

    UMMM.......LETS JUST SAY 360 ALL THE WAY........NOTHING ELSE REALLY BUT............360 ALL THE WAY

  • anamnawshad

    Posted May 19, 2007 8:34 am PT

    360 is selling 2x more than PS-3!
    DS and Wii = !!!

  • dizyduncan

    Posted May 19, 2007 8:15 am PT

    haha ok 360 people!

  • Skull_001

    Posted May 19, 2007 7:09 am PT

    Just goes to show, price matters, the 360 and PS3 are to expensive to get high numbers.

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