February NPD: Industry sales hit $1.33B, Xbox 360 still trailing PS3

by Ludwig Kietzmann { Mar 13th 2008 at 7:15PM }

Oh, welcome back gentle and unflinchingly upbeat green arrows! We'd be more inclined to dole out hugs if you weren't so dangerously pointy. Not that we have anything against points, mind you, as we're just about to get to one: According to the NPD group's US video game sales data for February, overall industry sales increased by 34% to $1.33 billion, with software alone responsible for $668.7 million. Console hardware prompted $480 million to change hands, while accessory sales made up the remaining $185.3 million.

The Nintendo DS took back its lead in the hardware race, followed by the Wii and PlayStation 2. Though the Xbox 360 managed to squeeze past the PlayStation Portable, it still trailed behind its monolithic competition. Oh well, we can't say we weren't warned.

- DS: 587.6K

336.6K (134%)
- Wii: 432K

158K (58%)
- PS2: 351.8K

87.8K (33%)
- PS3: 280.8K

11.8K (4%)
- Xbox 360: 254.6K

24.6K (11%)
- PSP: 243.1K

13.1K (6%)

Continue past the break for the top ten in software sales.

Activision's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare still dominated software sales, but was joined by several new entries. Given the large discrepancy in each console's install base, the gap between Xbox 360 and PS3 Devil May Cry 4 sales wasn't nearly as large as we expected -- though the ordering on the charts easily vindicates Capcom's multi-platform strategy. We count Lost Odyssey's appearance as another surprise, what with its foppish protagonist and polite, turn-based battles. We thought we were the only ones into that sort of thing these days.

February Software
1. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360) – 296.2K
2. Devil May Cry 4 (Xbox 360) – 295.2K
3. Wii Play w/remote (Wii) – 289.7K
4. Devil May Cry 4 (PS3) – 233.5K
5. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Wii) – 222.9K
6. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS) – 205.6K
7. Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360) – 203.6K
8. Turok (Xbox 360) – 197.7K
9. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PS2) – 183.8K
10. Rock Band (Xbox 360) – 161.8K

Tags: BreakingNews, NPD

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

Scott @ Mar 13th 2008 7:17PM

Wow....could it be happening...could the PS3 be making a run???

time to sell some games though....EXCLUSIVES...

Triforceowner @ Mar 13th 2008 8:16PM

Hey:

"4. Devil May Cry 4 (PS3) – 233.5K"

That's pretty good. I mean, when was the last time they were on the list, Uncharted or COD4 for a month?

Wii60 @ Mar 13th 2008 8:41PM

While I can't speak for everyone, I got a PS3 recently.
With few interesting Xbox 360 exclusives on the horizon and 3 Red Rings, I took the plunge. I could either get a game for a system that will likely never fail, or one that is likely to die at any second. If the 360 wasn't so unreliable, I'd prefer it.

The ps3 has turned out to be quite an impressive machine, and I was calling it dead last fall. I think this trend will continue.

xFenixKnightx @ Mar 13th 2008 9:28PM

What I dont get is, where the hell are these Wii's that keep selling? Ive never seen one in the stores. Absolutely never.

I got mine because I had a homie that used to work at Gamecrazy. I let him know I had been wanting one for SMG so he called me one morning and said they got 10 in and I went and got it. But Ive just never seen them in a big store like Walmart, Target, Best Buy and so on.

Wierd...is everyone on some kind of waiting list for these and therefore NEVER see the light of day on the store shelves??? This is madness I tell you!

In other news I play my 360 way more than my other consoles. Its probably like that with all PSWii60 owners.

HalaMadrid!!! @ Mar 13th 2008 9:32PM

Damn two months Sony must be proud keep it up. now lets try to get the Wii it goes fast:)

HighFiveJesus @ Mar 13th 2008 10:39PM

Best Buy at least, you have to ask for a wii because they keep them in the back. Thats how its been for me.

D_Average @ Mar 13th 2008 11:21PM

The PS3 is catching up to the Wii like Clinton's catching up to Obama.....hardly anything tangible

archie91s @ Mar 13th 2008 11:55PM

Does everyone realize how many people have their 360s and PS3s hooked up to standard def TVs? Do you realize how many people hook up their PS3s to HDTVs with the standard def composite cables and think they're seeing HD? I even know someone who did that with his PS3 and he said he didn't care. Sony is retarted to ship their bluray playing 1080p high def entertainment experience without HDMI or at least component cables. Entry level 40 GB PS3 that comes with spiderman 3 blu ray for people who want to go high def but no hd cables?REALLY?

Sorry, I just wanted to put that out there if Sony is reading. It just got me mad, and I like the PS3

ViagraFiend @ Mar 14th 2008 11:13AM

@ Fenix - Nope, I have all three and I play my PS3 the most. MLB 08 The Show is taking up all of my time. Actually, the only two games that get any playing time on my 360 is Bioshock and Halo 3. I was thinking of getting Mass Effect soon though...

@Archie - That is such a tired point. Yes, it's true but we have been over that so many times before.

hvnlysoldr @ Mar 30th 2008 12:50PM

I agree with D_Average

Slayer @ Mar 13th 2008 7:21PM

As always, the sales for the Wii are impressive.

bigsofty @ Mar 13th 2008 8:44PM

Don't by the hype people its a mediocre console with a clumsy gimmick of a controller... mines gather dust as we speak...

Joshua @ Mar 13th 2008 8:49PM

Mine's gathering dust, too, but that doesn't mean I'm not playing Brawl on it every day. :)

Mr Khan @ Mar 13th 2008 9:01PM

And apparently the Wii version of Guitar Hero III had the longest legs. Good show.

SoulBlade @ Mar 13th 2008 9:47PM

bigsofty:

Just face it... it's a successful system. People like it. Accept it. You don't have to support it, but clearly a lot of other people like it. Move on.

Tesley @ Mar 14th 2008 1:54AM

Same here, my Wii is collecting dust. The only time I turn it on is for updates or whenever i have ppl over.

Replica23 @ Mar 14th 2008 4:27AM

I played Zelda when the Wii came out, then a year later I played Super Mario Galaxy. In between and since it has collected dust. The other week I actually packed it away. The only purpose it really serves is a nostalgia machine. Heh.

Evan @ Mar 14th 2008 9:28AM

Honestly, my Wii gets more play-time than my PS3. The only time I use my PS3 is to watch Blu-Ray movies. Not that I'm disappointed, it's a fine Blu-Ray movie player, but the Wii just has more and better games (Brawl, Galaxy).

ballistic3188 @ Mar 13th 2008 7:23PM

so using the term wii and ds domination in relation to the NPD a forgone conclusion or is does it need to be stated again to emphasize it that it doubled the sales of both the xbox and ps3 and the ds doubled the psp?

ScottG13 @ Mar 14th 2008 8:47AM

And the same old junk keeps selling on the Wii. A controller, a broken version of a rehash and a character cash in. The Wii has truly ushered in the era of bizarre sales charts.

Brandon @ Mar 13th 2008 7:24PM

I still can't believe the run Wii Play is on. But it is nice to see Guitar Hero Wii doing so well.

cc123 @ Mar 13th 2008 7:32PM

"I still can't believe the run Wii Play is on."

People are buying a $40 controller with a $10 mini-game thrown in. It's going to chart for the rest of this gen most likely.

Debikul @ Mar 13th 2008 7:27PM

Watch those 360 numbers take a shit on the PS3 numbers the month of GTA 4.

Plus you have the impulse buyers who will pick up a console just to play GTA 4. And impulse buyers look at price as well, and if the 360 drops $50 like everyone thinks, added with the fact that the 360 version of GTA 4 has the most publicized DLC, that buyer is going to pick up the 360.

Just my opinion though. Take it lightly.

Slayer @ Mar 13th 2008 7:33PM

Most of the same could be applied to the ps3 as well.

Freelance @ Mar 13th 2008 8:05PM

Why wouldn't those impulse buyers buy a blue-ray player that they could also play GTAIV on?

E.J. @ Mar 13th 2008 8:24PM

@Freelance
The same question can be applied to Devil May Cry 4:
"Why wouldn't those impulse buyers buy a blue-ray player that they could also play DMC4 on?"

Answer: Because people buy a video game system for video games, and as you see, Xbox 360 games dominate that chart. The average consumer still has not bought into the hi-def movie format yet.

@Debikul
Your statement isn't far off, but considering the Xbox 360's higher install base, it's obvious that GTA IV will sell more on that console.

No doubt about it, the PS3 is on the rise. The PlayStation brand is too strong for Sony to screw it up (as hard as its marketing team tried to in the past) and too recognizable for the average consumer to not associate games with it.

Let's not forget that past GTA titles are more correlated to PlayStation because of its timed exclusive on the PS2. We'll have to see what a simultaneous release will do. I mean, look at DMC4...

Kujel @ Mar 13th 2008 7:27PM

Funny how BS3 again only has one title in the top ten and the 360 version still is a few places higher. Man MS must love that attach rate. Hey BSFanboys watch any good movies lately?

Snowman733 @ Mar 14th 2008 10:12AM

Yeah I just watched the New iRobot movie on blu-ray... Hows you Obsolete HD DVD add on doing?

Matt B @ Mar 13th 2008 8:16PM

You seriously have that much hate in you? If so, go back under your bridge then. Go find something to make you smile. This isn't working out for you.

CGamble20 @ Mar 13th 2008 8:17PM

Couldn't you just be a little mature and give them credit? You fanboys (of all systems) make me sick.

Luckily, this thread of comments actually keeps it all in perspective. Refreshing lol

Bill Kutargi @ Mar 13th 2008 7:28PM

You lot should prob know that Ps3's been outselling 360 worldwide for about 4-5 months now accoreding to VG Chartz, only for 2 months has it been outselling 360 in the USA though. So who knows, PS3 might actually manage the biggest turnaround in video gaming history! If i'm wrong with my figures or facts then correct as necessary.

Debikul @ Mar 13th 2008 7:30PM

"7. Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360) – 203.6K"

Nice to see this game getting up there. Awesome game!

Bloo @ Mar 13th 2008 7:39PM

I agree. Thankfully the reviews didn't stop me from getting this game. Fans of FFVII-FFX should LOVE it!

Cyro @ Mar 13th 2008 11:22PM

Playing it as we speak. Awsome game!

I was thinking of not buying because of the reviews, but thanks God I decided to. Its truly a nice game.

Kris @ Mar 14th 2008 3:55AM

Awesome game indeed!

teenagertc @ Mar 13th 2008 7:31PM

I am pretty sure Microsoft would rather have more top selling games, than be ahead of the PS3, at this stage in the game. It's not like they are battling for first anyway.

CGamble20 @ Mar 13th 2008 8:09PM

They care because as the gap between the PS3 and 360 tightens up, thats less revenue through software M$ is gaining.

Yes, presently they are 7 million units ahead in NA, and selling more software, but that doesn't mean they call it quits. They don't want the PS3 to catch up and take some of the revenue they dominate currently.

Either way though, the three corps. will make boat loads of money. Everybody wins this gen.

Fernando Rocker @ Mar 13th 2008 7:33PM

According to KrazyKen latest post, the Wii is a fad, and the fads only last two years.

I don't that the Wii sales will slow donw this year...

-They have not yet released WiiWare

-They havent drop the price a single time.

-Nintendo have not make bundles (just Wii Sports)

-Still need to release multiple colors.

-Still there are no Pay and Play games.

And Nintendo still have a lot of titles to release.

So, sorry KrazyKen... the Wii is not going anywehere. By the way... next months will be most amazing than this month... the Wii was availabe last Sunday, due to the release of SSBB, the sales will be very high this month, and next month we will have Mario Kart.

Joe @ Mar 13th 2008 7:35PM

Remind me the next time an original, fun, compelling game is released.

Well, one that actually sells.

CGamble20 @ Mar 13th 2008 7:52PM

I am not a fan of the Wii but

The Wii is not a fad. Its a very good system. It won't die away, and I think it will win this generation...although not to the extent the PS2 won its generation. (wasn't the scale 5-1 or 4-1?) I see the Wii outselling its gen competitors like 2 or 3 to 1. Still an impressive lead.

Fernando Rocker @ Mar 13th 2008 7:57PM

Gamble

Finally, a no Wii fan that accepts that the Wii is not a fad.

I mean, take KrazyKen or a lot of other PS3 fanboys for example... they say that they dont care about the Wii, and that the Wii is not a nex gen system and that the sales doesnt count.

But when the PS3 outsells the Wii for a week, oh me, the hypocracy shows... they make a huge party.

Chase @ Mar 13th 2008 8:01PM

I agree with CGamble. Even as a lifelong Nintendo fanboy, owning every Nintendo gaming device - including Virtual Boy, I am not buying into Nintendo's motion-based controls. My small grievance aside, the Wii is still a unique innovation in gaming, and deserves the praise it presently receives.

CGamble20 @ Mar 13th 2008 8:02PM

@Fernando

I (being a PS3 'fanboy') throw a party when the PS3 tops the Wii in weekly sales, only because it is such an impressive feat. Just like when the PSP tops the DS, no one really thinks it will beat it in the end. Although, in this case many think it will beat the Wii. I'm not one of them.