May NPD: Nintendo still on top, industry sales up 49%
by Ludwig Kietzmann 
{ Jun 14th 2007 at 7:52PM }
The latest US video game sales data, as compiled by the NPD group, indicates that the popularity of Nintendo's delightful money-printing machines shows no sign of, well, change. The DS and its host of pocket monsters dominated hardware and software sales in May, a month marked by a 49% increase in overall industry sales to $815.5 million. GameDaily BIZ reports that the considerable rise was due in part to console hardware sales climbing 79% to $221.4 million.The NPD has not yet provided a complete breakdown of hardware sales per platform, but the initial sales ranking gives more than enough food for thought. Sony's PSP grabs the number three spot behind the DS and Wii, trumping the PS2, the Xbox 360 and the PS3. Perhaps that early April price drop is paying off.
We'll add the exact sales numbers into the ranking below as soon as they become available. As always, you'll find the software's top ten after the break.
- Nintendo DS: 423K
- Nintendo Wii: 338K
- Sony PSP: 221K
- Sony PlayStation 2: 187K
- Microsoft Xbox 360: 155K
- Sony PlayStation 3: 81K
Despite being released late in the month, Forza 2 debuts in sixth spot in May's software sales and joins three other Xbox 360 titles. Aside from a lone and decidedly non-conquering EA entry, the chart otherwise belongs to Nintendo and Activision.
- Pokémon Diamond (DS)
- Mario Party 8 (Wii)
- Spider-Man 3 (PS2)
- Pokémon Pearl (DS)
- Wii Play w/remote (Wii)
- Forza Motorsport 2 (Xbox 360)
- Guitar Hero II w/guitar (Xbox 360)
- Spider-Man 3 (Xbox 360)
- Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (Xbox 360)
- Guitar Hero II w/guitar (PS2)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Joe @ Jun 14th 2007 9:44PM
81k?
Haha, oh wow
Ian Von Porter @ Jun 14th 2007 7:57PM
I wonder how the 360 Elite is selling.
Slaziman @ Jun 14th 2007 7:58PM
Cue fanboys
Rubang B @ Jun 14th 2007 7:59PM
2007 so far, January through May: Wii has sold more worldwide than the 360 and PS3 put together!
cc123 @ Jun 14th 2007 8:00PM
MS needs to do something with the 360. 4 games in the top ten and it still dropped another 20k in HW sales.
BPM @ Jun 14th 2007 8:02PM
Where's GBA? :O
Ken @ Jun 14th 2007 8:05PM
ZING!
Turn those numbers around PS360 fanboys. :) Please?
Oh yeah, that's right... By the end of the year, the sales will start to slow down. :) By then the Wii will be waaaay ahead of the competition.
syco @ Jun 14th 2007 8:08PM
I think at this point it is safe to simply stop considering the PS3 a serious contender, and focus on the play between the 360's hardcore gaming demographic and the Wii casual gamers and gaming enthusiasts with a taste for the experimental, and the portable market. With sales numbers this low, for this long, the Playstation 3 can not be fairly compared with the other consoles, and might be more appropriately considered a home theater device that also happens to occasionally play games.
jason @ Jun 14th 2007 8:12PM
If 360 gets a $100 price drop then it will sell better then Wii or at least get close to it
Ken @ Jun 14th 2007 8:16PM
@jason
I'm doubting that. But you know Microsoft will never drop the price $100.
shivr @ Jun 14th 2007 8:16PM
360 needs a price drop AND a bigger veriety of games... aka, nab the causals.
And make consoles that don't break ^_^
Rubang B @ Jun 14th 2007 8:20PM
The Wii/DS one-two punch has changed the face of the industry forever. The 360 and the PS3 can fight over the crumbs of what's left while the Wii/DS combo marches on, building new customers out of rocks, bread, and thin air. Gaming is no longer just for 14 year old boys. This is good. Now we can all log off Joystiq, put on pants, and walk outside without getting pelted with eggs and tomatoes. The whole world has embraced our cave-dwelling gaming lifestyle. We finally won. We thank you Wii.
cc123 @ Jun 14th 2007 8:22PM
I really don't understand the reason for the 360 dropping so much the past two months. Maybe the casuals are catching on to the reliability problems.
I was also expecting the PS3 to have dropped more than it did. It looks like a price drop will be coming for it though.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=25821
And Nintendo dominating continues...probably well into 2008.
John Stamos @ Jun 14th 2007 8:26PM
Rubang,
If anything this kind of proves that gaming IS for 14 year olds.
SuperMario21 @ Jun 14th 2007 8:39PM
The Wii is DOOMED!!! No one will by that last gen console because tha graphics suck...all of you Nintendo fanboys are stupid and Nintendo needs to just focus on making software.
/sarcasm
That is domination...complete domination. Mario Party 8 Bi#$hes!!!
Terrak @ Jun 14th 2007 8:28PM
So Nintendo Haters, how long again do we have to wait till we see a drop in the Wiis popularity? Its been over 8 months and Wii sales continue to remain strong (well kicking major a$$ really, sony's so scared they don't even want to put there numbers up LOL), despite its lack of killer AAA exclusives. So you think that the interest in the Wii will drop in the next 6 months when the actual killer AAA titles comes out (from Nintendo & Third parties)??? OK so back to reality now ok.
Nintendo haters lets hear your predictions for the next 6 months please so we can have a good laugh at how good analysts you are.
Digi Smalls @ Jun 14th 2007 8:34PM
please Wii'ers. stop. just stop.
the Wii has opened up a whole new market. casual gaming. yes, its all "videogames" but the Wii is NOT direct competition for the PS360.
there are more casual gamers than hardcore gamers, congratulations. so why are you incessantly celebrating?
.
Raikage @ Jun 14th 2007 8:34PM
Ouch.... I like how someone a couple days ago "predicted" that the PS3 was going to sell ~164k.... Where are you now?
Japan : DS as America : Wii
Almost half a million a month... wow... and why?
jason @ Jun 14th 2007 8:36PM
@ken
Why not lower 360's price? They could do it the new chip is suppose to come out by fall and they lowered the original xbox by $100 sooner then they will with the xbox 360. There are two pretty good reasons why not to do a price drop and one is Halo 3 is coming out but they can do a price drop after that comes out and the other is PS3 is $600 and there is one more its holiday season it doesn't make sense but the Wii is selling way faster then the 360 and Microsoft should do a price drop to really make Sony hurt in PS3 sales this holiday season.
abermaelon @ Jun 14th 2007 8:36PM
Nintendo haters lets hear your predictions for the next 6 months please so we can have a good laugh at how good analysts you are.
And queue crickets. What are you ranting about? I don't see much hate for Nintendo, only praise, so god just shut up. Odds are all companies will end up doing well when all is said and done.
abermaelon @ Jun 14th 2007 8:39PM
Sorry, that was meant for Terrak
abermaelon @ Jun 14th 2007 8:41PM
20. The Wii is DOOMED!!! No one will by that last gen console because tha graphics suck...all of you Nintendo fanboys are stupid and Nintendo needs to just focus on making software.
/sarcasm
That is domination...complete domination. Mario Party 8 Bi#$hes!!!
And with that, I officially quit the internet.
ill trooper @ Jun 14th 2007 8:44PM
"By then the Wii will be waaaay ahead of the competition. - Ken"
"Waaaaay ahead" IN SALES... A very awesome feat that couldn't be happening to a cooler company. But far BEHIND in online and pixel-pushing. Don't assume 'sold a lot' always means 'best experience.' Others might want 'online gaming' or more detailed graphical worlds.
I have my Wii, but since our bowling matches have cooled down a bit around the apartment, I've been playing some great games on my 360. Games unfortunately not possible on the Wii: R6:Vegas and Crackdown (no online on the Wii yet, and certainly more HD than the Wii can handle. Not to mention the downloaded Halo3 demo, distribution the Wii isn't doing at that scale). If you ignore the 360 and the PS3, you'll be missing amazing game experiences. I just buy all systems and let the chips fall where they may.
I like the success of Nintendo. But if you really insist on comparing the machines and companies like that, you need to compare the full picture Ken: dominating in sales isn't everything. The fact is the Wii can't perform as well as the other machines in key areas, and they're going to have to make a new machine at some point that can. And yes, I'll buy it.
Anonim @ Jun 14th 2007 8:42PM
[UPDATE] More hardware sales numbers are coming in, thanks to Bloomberg. The Wii sold 338K units in May, while the 360 sold a disappointing 155K. The PS3 meanwhile dropped from 82K last month to just 81K sold (81,604 units to be exact, according to SCEA). At least the PSP sold a healthy 221,120 units, according to SCEA. We also found out (via Sony ironically) that the GBA sold 80,554 units and the GameCube sold 10,728 units.
SCEA's Sr. Director, Corporate Communications, Dave Karraker issued us the following statement: "According to NPD data, May 2007 showed a 27.5% increase in total retail dollars generated year-over-year by the PlayStation brand in North America with total sales of $284 million. During the month, sales of PS3 were flat at 81,604 units. PSP witnessed a 39% increase in year-over-year sales thanks in part to the April price drop to $169, as well as our new marketing efforts with the 'Dude Get Your Own' campaign. PSP unit sales for May totaled 221,120. The PS2 also continued to be a strong performer during the month with unit sales of 187,765."
zwarrior @ Jun 14th 2007 8:53PM
Gotta love Wii's software hits; Mario Party, Wii play, Wii sports, yeah, casual gaming is what we're about
Rubang B @ Jun 14th 2007 8:43PM
@#13, John Stamos, How does this prove gaming is for 14 year olds? Difficulty: Do not mention Halo 3 in your answer, for it is the king of 14 year old gamers.
@#15, Digi Smalls, I'm celebrating because I'm happy that the future of my favorite hobby is not being determined by graphics and processing power so that my favorite hobby does not price itself out of my budget.
Anybody else notice that Wii Play is the only non-sequel in the top ten? If you want to sell a game it needs to end in a number or come with something free! I'm celebrating hardware sales, not software sales. In my dream world Puzzle Quest would STILL be topping the charts.
Matt B @ Jun 14th 2007 8:43PM
The summer software lull is upon us.
"I think at this point it is safe to simply stop considering the PS3 a serious contender" by syco.
That is the dumbest thing I've heard all day. You can talk shit in 5 years if the same holds true.
What I don't get is why the wii is even included in "next-gen". It's not. It's its own thing. It's not HD. It's not photorealistic and can never be. It can't do more than 480p. It's attatch rate is the worst in the industry since most just buy it for wii sports pack in game.
360 sales are down, even with the elite.
THe race will really be shown in Q4 when many sought after titles will have dropped.
I hope my wife understands when I'm broke for xmas after the pile of PS3 titles drops.
Flametards, here is your bait.
Ken @ Jun 14th 2007 8:45PM
@jason
Oh no, I want them to drop the price. I'm sure it'll help. But Microsoft is about to FINALLY break even on their consoles, and if they drop their console $100... They'll just be burying themselves again.
Krazy Koala @ Jun 14th 2007 8:46PM
Dear Wii braggers
Why is all this sales info all that you talk about? I admit the sales are impressive but you act as if you are Nintendo shareholders and not gamers, forget the sales, you need to worry about the fun factor. Last I checked there haven't been any good Wii games since launch, and launch only had 2 good games.
Meanwhile PS3 and 360 sales are slow at the moment, but kick ass games are already out so those that bought their systems are very happy. Yes Halo 3 isn't out yet but Gears, Vegas, Forza 2, Call of Duty 2, Crackdown, etc are and I'm having a blast (and I hear PS3 owners are enjoying Resistance, Virtua Fighter 5, etc).
Yes Super Mario Galaxy and Smash Brothers are coming out in a few months, but what about NOW? I really like Nintendo but seriously when all a Wii owner can brag about 8 months into the console's lifetime is the sales numbers, then there is a serious problem.
Ken @ Jun 14th 2007 8:48PM
"Ken: dominating in sales isn't everything" - ill trooper
I beg to differ. They are crushing sales now. Which means in a year or so, we'll be seeing an increase in quality games. But that's my prediction... It's not like everything is set in stone. Shit can turn around real quickly in the video game industry (See: PS3).
The Wii will be the new PS2. And the DS is (already) the new SNES.
To me, anyway. :)
hegemonyhog @ Jun 14th 2007 8:49PM
I love how people disqualify the Wii from being a "real" system because it appeals to casual gamers.
I'm sure the PS1 and 2 sold over 200 million units to hardcore gamers alone.
Ken @ Jun 14th 2007 8:49PM
@Krazy Koala
As I stated before:
Big sales = larger 3rd party support.
Larger 3rd party support = more quality games.
More quality games = more sales.
Rinse and repeat.
Kn1ves @ Jun 14th 2007 8:50PM
||| The fact is the Wii can't perform as well as the other machines in key areas, and they're going to have to make a new machine at some point that can. And yes, I'll buy it. |||
What a great prediction!
Milkshake @ Jun 14th 2007 8:50PM
@7 I agree the PS3 does not really figure in this next gen war anymore its over for Sony. Now Ms needs to drop the price soon to close the gap on the Wii.
abermaelon @ Jun 14th 2007 9:01PM
Ok, what are everyones predictions in regards to sales numbers around this time in 2010?
BPM @ Jun 14th 2007 8:51PM
Thanks, Anonim, for the rest of the numbers.
(Not directed at you, but at Karraker) I think the PSP sales are due to ONLY the price drop. The new ad campaign is more idiotic than previous ones.
"THAT THING WILL MORPH! THAT THING WILL MORPH! IT IS MORPHING!
CLUSTER BOMBS! CLUSTER BOMBS! CLUSTER BOMBS! CLUSTER BOMBS!"
Seriously. That commercial was terrible.
(stupid ad or not, I'm still getting a PSP soon so I can play Megaman: Powered Up and Maverick Hunter X)
vidGuy @ Jun 14th 2007 8:51PM
"And make consoles that don't break ^_^"
Why? Sony won last generation, so it must be a winning formula, right?
"If anything this kind of proves that gaming IS for 14 year olds."
It may not hold up for everyone, but personally I've seen more 20-somethings playing the Wii. OUt of the 50 or so people I know that have played a Wii, 30ish own one, another dozen are trying to find one, and the other few live with those who own one. The average age is probably around 25.
Based on the future games lineup and the boost that is the holidays season, I'm predicting that the Wii will surpass the Gamecube in total sales (at 22-23 million) by Summer 08.
The 360 will see a sales spike in the fall along with the release of Halo 3 and GTA4. It will reach 18 million worldwide by Summer 08.
PS3 sales will grow at roughly the same rate as that of the 360 but it won't be able to overcome the one year lead. The PS3 will hit sales of 12 million by Summer 08.
To make them even, let's say Wii hits 24 million, so we have a ratio
Wii:360:PS3 of
2 : 1.5 : 1
SuperMario21 @ Jun 14th 2007 8:53PM
Well if you were sooo blind that there are other good games out for the wii or coming out that you will see that you are very wrong. There is Super Paper Mario, Manhunt 2, Super Mario Strikers, and Metroid Prime 3. All good games and all coming out soon except for Super Paper Mario since it is already out. Don't discredit Trauma Center which is good too and very hard.
Rubang B @ Jun 14th 2007 8:53PM
Hey Matt B, you don't get to define "next-gen." Here is the breakdown of every console by which generation they are in:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_game_consoles
Notice there are 13 contenders in the 7th generation, after 2 stillborns. The king and the queen of this generation are undisputedly the Wii and the DS. The market has spoken: photorealism can suck it.
Joshua @ Jun 14th 2007 8:54PM
Pokémon Pearl got into the top 10, but Diamond is nowhere to be seen...Hehe...
Ken @ Jun 14th 2007 8:55PM
@Rubang B
I love you.
Lol... That link rocks. I need it for a project I'm doing.
vidGuy @ Jun 14th 2007 8:56PM
"Why is all this sales info all that you talk about? ...you need to worry about the fun factor."
Let's see:
more sales -> more interest and consumers -> more profit for developers -> less risk for making Wii games -> more diverse and better Wii games
Simply: The more consoles sold, the more games come to the Wii. Awesome.
hvnlysoldr @ Jun 14th 2007 8:56PM
NDF victory is ours! March on! NES!
http://www.nintendowiifanboy.com/2007/06/14/by-our-consoles-combined-you-are-a-nintendo-short-cuts-entry/
hegemonyhog @ Jun 14th 2007 8:58PM
"Yes Super Mario Galaxy and Smash Brothers are coming out in a few months, but what about NOW?"
Personally, once I finish Super Paper Mario, I've got Godfather, Scarface and Big Brain Academy: Wii Degree to play, with RE4 (which I've only played about halfway through), Manhunt 2, Mario Strikers Charged and Metroid Prime 3 before the end of the summer.
I love how people pretend that except for all the stuff coming out, there's nothing out for the Wii. It doesn't have the library of the 360, which is okay because it's been out for less than a year, and it's got a better library than the PS3, whose last major release was Motorstorm in what, February?
whosmav @ Jun 14th 2007 8:59PM
Nintendo-"Say our name bitches say our name 3 times!"
They are truly pimpin'. I'm a little surprised with the PSP.
PS3 is shithouse. Stop crying and face the facts fanboys. Its not gonna make it commercially. A few more months of this and its gonna be done. Publishers like to make money.
Ken @ Jun 14th 2007 9:00PM
NDF!
Lets comment this until we reach the HUNDREDS!
Okay, maybe not... but still. :)
vidGuy @ Jun 14th 2007 9:01PM
No kidding, hegemonyhog. I've got 2 full length games sitting unopened waiting for me to finish Twilight Princess, which I haven't finished because I was playing Tiger Woods and Madden. I've got half a dozen VC games to play. So the Wii is on all the time. Honestly, I'm not ready for the coming releases because I have to finish these first.
Then, I have had the Halo 3 beta, Guitar Hero 2, and Crackdown I'm trying to finish. (why does half this board think that you can only own one console?)
Ken @ Jun 14th 2007 9:04PM
@vidGuy
I wasn't a big fan of GTA-esque games, but man I had a BLAST with Crackdown. I might have to start that back up. :)
Milkshake @ Jun 14th 2007 9:04PM
I think its great what Nintendo are doing, they have seen beyond the hardcore gamer and marketed the system so well to females, parents and older gamers and of course built on the success of the DS(which I own and love
However the 360 is the Hardcore console of choice right now and it needs a price drop as one thing is for sure, the sweet spot regarding console pricing is not at the 360's or above no matter where you live in the world when you are looking to hit the masses
vidGuy @ Jun 14th 2007 9:05PM
"Ok, what are everyones predictions in regards to sales numbers around this time in 2010?"
Well, I'll keep predicting.
June 2010
Wii 50 million
360 36 million
PS3 25 million
That's barring any dramatic price cuts from Sony, such as pricing the PS3 at $299 this winter.