infexxionNPD: February Software Sales Up 28%
The NPD Group has announced that US game console software sales were $441 million in February, up 28 percent from the same month a year prior, thanks in large part to Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 software.
Combined next generation and handheld sales were $275 million thanks primarily to “dramatically higher than expected sales of 360 and Wii games,” according to a note from Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter.
Nintendo and Microsoft accounted for $79 million of the $96 million year-over-year increase in sales.
Current generation software sales, including Game Boy Advance software, were $275 million.
The well-reviewed Crackdown for Xbox 360, which is bundled with the Halo 3 beta, topped February software sales, followed by Wii Play, which is bundled with a Wii Remote.
New consoles Wii and PS3 had tie ratios of 3.6 and 3.4, respectively.
Strong software sales are expected for March as well, with titles including God of War II, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 and Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars leading the way.
“The sales pattern over the last few months had suggested to us that consumers are less concerned about the transition than they have been in prior console cycles,” Pachter wrote. “Demand for the PS3 is tracking below our expectations, while demand for the Wii remains strong. Once demand for the PS3 picks up later this year, we expect a greater decline in PS2 software sales. Although we expect a year-over-year decline of 30 – 35% for overall current generation softwaresales in 2007, we believe that next generation software sales growth will more than offset this decline.”
Average software selling price for game software was $33.51 in February, 11 percent higher than February 2006’s ASP of $30.05.
Below are the top three-selling titles per console:
Xbox 360
1 CRACKDOWN Microsoft
2 GEARS OF WAR Microsoft
3 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 2K7 Take 2 Interactive
Wii
1 PLAY W/ REMOTE Nintendo
2 LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCENintendo
3 WARIOWARE: SMOOTH MOVES Nintendo
PS2
1 GUITAR HERO 2 W/GUITAR Activision
2 MLB '07: THE SHOW Sony
3 WWE SMACKDOWN VS. RAW 2007 THQ
Handhelds
NDS DIDDY KONG RACING Nintendo
NDS NEW SUPER MARIO BROS Nintendo
NDS MARIO KART Nintendo
PS3
1 RESISTANCE: FALL OF MAN Sony
2 VIRTUA FIGHTER 5 Sega
3 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 2K7 Take 2 Interactive
GC
1 LEGEND OF ZELDA: TWILIGHT PRINCENintendo
2 NARUTO: CLASH OF NINJA 2 D3Publisher of America
3 SUPER SMASH BRO MELEE Nintendo
Xbox
1 HALO 2 Microsoft
2 MADDEN NFL 07 Electronic Arts
3 MORTAL KOMBAT: ARMAGEDDON Midway
