September NPD: $1.27b in sales, but it's no Halo 3 launch

by Ross Miller on Oct 16th 2008 7:37PM

Under most circumstances, this month's NPD sales figures would be quite impressive, with total sales of $1.27 billion. However, last September's $1.35 billion had one looming trump card -- namely, Halo 3's launch. Year-to-date hardware sales were $497.98 million (down nine percent) and software $616.09m (down six percent). Thanks largely to the price drop (we suspect, at least), Xbox 360 had the highest increase in sales, up 78%. It took 3rd place, splitting up Nintendo's two and Sony's three consoles.

For software, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed dominated with 3 of the top 10 spots, totaling 1.16 million in unit sales -- the Xbox 360 version accounted for 52% of sales, followed by PlayStation 3 at 28%. Wii Fit also had impressive figures with 518K. Here are this month's NPD hardware sales figures:

- Wii: 687K

234K (51.66%)
- DS: 536.8K

18.5K (3.57%)
- Xbox 360: 347.2K

152K (77.87%)
- PSP: 238.1K

14.9K (-5.90%)
- PS3: 232.4K

47K (25.35%)
- PS2: 173.5K

29.4K (20.4%)

Top ten in software sales after the break.

1. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Xbox 360 – 610K
2. Wii Fit w/ Balance Board - Wii – 518K
3. Rock Band 2 - Xbox 360 – 363K
4. Mario Kart w/ wheel - Wii – 353K
5. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - PS3 – 325K
6. Mercenaries 2: World in Flames - Xbox 360 – 297K
7. Wii Play w/ remote - Wii – 243K
8. Madden NFL 09 - Xbox 360 – 224K
9. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed - Wii – 223K
10. Madden NFL 09 - PS2 – 158K

Source

Tags: breakingnews, DS, hardware, hardware-sales, hardwaresales, hardwaresalescharts, north-america, npd, PS2, PS3, PSP, united-states, us, Wii, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (82)

Not to sound like a fool but how exactly do you read these stats?
Whats the percentage for and the arrows, etc.

I figured i would humor you, just in case you're being serious. A green arrow means sales increased from the previous month, red means decreased. The number to the left of the arrow is the current monthly sales number, to the right is how much it increased by compared to last month. The percentage is the percentage increase compared to last month.

The number on the left is the current sales of this month, the number on the right is the previous month.

The green arrow means that the system had more sales than previous month and the % is the increment percentage.

They changed the system I think, or maybe its a new system for NPD (almost wrote NDP damn New Democrats!) normally the number on the right would be how much it increased or decreased. I read it completely wrong at first glance.

I commonly mix up NPD and NDP as well.

Draco is right, usually the number on the right indicates the difference and not the previous month's data. Fixéd

Remember me, Eddie? When I killed your brother, I talked...just...like...THISSSS!!!!

haha...Roger Rabbit. Nice.

I swear, some of those Halo 3 diehards must have magical cartoon bullets that just... fly around on their own! Damn cheaters!

With all that hype the game got, you expect another game to get that much cash? only Microsoft can spend that much on a campaign. Even if they opted not to use Jerry Seinfeld for Halo 3 media blitz.

I'm just amazed that so many people can buy that much.

Who is buying half a million DSes?

Humans.

Apparently humans with two heads and four arms and lots of free time.

Mutants!

I just bought a sixth one last week. Four were gifts and one I traded in my very used looking white DS for a Black one. Now everyone in the house has one multiplayer games like Club House Games are a bast.

I thought there was a recession, how come there is so many green arrows?

What, you've never drowned your sorrows in a delicious new video game?

The book, film, and gaming industries do well when the rest of the economy is doing poorly. They do particularly well when gas and airline prices are high.

Wow, even with the 360 price cut the Wii still outsold it 2 to 1, and in the 360's strongest region non-the-less.

The PS3, meanwhile, struggled to beat out the PS2.

By now I really dont think anything can out sell the Wii machine. I have lost all faith.. But I do know the 360 is going to see some really strong sales this holiday season because of that price cut it received. I think even better sales than last year.

the wii does not deserve its success... honestly, the only two people i know that own a wii don't play it, and one of them wants to return it (she bought it this month).

It seems like every game incorporates gimmicky controls, i just want a good game with a good story, and i'm set... down vote me all you want motha fuckas, i'm drunk, i don't give a shit!

Well, I was going to downvote you because your opening statement is thoroughly asinine, but you closed strong so I upvoted you.

Elmers glue + drunk + mutha fucka = good stuff

Wow elmers. You and your friends must be the pickiest bunch of gamers of all time. I'm a picky hardcore gamer who refuses to buy mini-game compilations or crappy shovel-ware titles and i've found 12 Wii games to own. And i dont even own most of the A+ titles like Mario Galaxy, Mario Kart, Smash Bros Brawl, Battalion Wars, Geometry Wars or No More Heroes. If i can find that many games worth owning without owning the best games (Well, i still own Zelda, Metroid, RE4 etc) on top of my 12 GC games and 20 downloaded games, anyone can. And yes i am just a picky about controls. I bought Red Steel and launch and took it back 2 days later for Tony Hawk Downhill Jam.

Whattaya got, Foetoid? I'm always up for more suggestions!

@elmersglue
You must not know any parents with children, but I can assure you that there are millions and millions of them out there (the original NES and SNES sold over 50 million each, back when the video game market was almost exclusively parents with children). And, as the ONLY console with multiple top-tier kid/family oriented games, the Wii deserves all those sales.

Exactly. the PS2 had a lot of kid and family-friendly games, much of whom were from Sony's own stable of excellent developers: Naughty Dog, Insomniac, and Sucker Punch, all of whom have been diverted to non-family-friendly projects, mostly. Ratchet and Clank are the only survivors

Very little demographic diversity in the PS360

This was obviously caused by everyone pulling all their money out of wall street and blowing it on games before the impending apocalypse.

Can't think of a better way to go out.

Doing that while having sex?

Two things.

1 - Wasn't Mario Kart released the same time as GTA? It even beat out the PS3 version. It's #4 on the list??? Wow, that's pretty surprising.

2 - There are more DS's on this planet than humans.

Actually, Mario Kart Wii just outsold Halo 3 worldwide.

Also, way to go 360 for them sales. Way to go Nintendo for topping the 360 even after the price cut. Way to go PS3 for beating out the PS2.

Everyone has a great month

"Actually, Mario Kart Wii just outsold Halo 3 worldwide."

........ wow........ I actually didn't see that coming. So did SMG apparently.

Hey! Tmac has duplicated! Ill call Lil T Solid Mac, and the first Mac Naked Mac.

WHAT? Solid came before Naked? TIME PARADOX!

I see a Mario Kart Wii add a day.

"LOOK AT THE FOOTAGE!" is now a meme in my apartment.

Er, *ad

Maybe more people are buying up games now so they can have fun at home and reduce the number of times they go out and spend money for entertainment.

http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr10/mappster110/npdcop1.gif

lol! Very funny Fernando... If only nintendo made games for real gamers and not soccer moms.... How sad :(

When red rings go wrong.

PS3 2008 Jan-Sept: 2250K
Xbox 360 2008 Jan-Sept: 2088K

:p

WOW, Robocop looks better with the helmet on.

That's Fucking creepy man.

+1 :)

Notice how none of the PS3 fanboys are to be found right now?

lolz!

There is honestly no exclusive title thats coming out on PS3 that is *really going to move PS3's off the shelf. LBP and R2 are definatly not going to do it. I even predict that COD:WaW is going to rape/murder R2 netx month but the peeps over at ps3fanboy werent having it. We'll see, I played the beta for several hours at my buddies house yesterday and I think its going to be a hit.

ROFL.. That was actually really well done.

let's hope for the 360 fanboys that the numbers go up this year. maybe the price cut will put it ahead of ps3

ultra mario- why did you even post that... lol
sony needs to sell many more consoles than ms to close the console gap lead.

Xbox 360 2007 Jan-Sept: 2222K
Xbox 360 2008 Jan-Sept: 2088K

Looks like a possible decline for the 360 this year. Gears 2 should help but it's nowhere near as big as Halo.

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September NPD: $1.27b in sales, but it's no Halo 3 launch

Reader Comments (82)

Posted: Oct 16th 2008 7:48PM (Unverified) said

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