Tag Archives: npd

2010 sees 6 percent drop in retail video game sales

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2010 was another ugly year for video game retailers. Overall sales of video games were down 6 percent compared to the 2009 numbers – coming in at $18.58 billion. But there was some room for optimism.

Adding in other income streams, including digital downloads, used game sales, game rentals, subscriptions, social network games and mobile game apps, the NPD Group, which tallies the numbers, estimates preliminary software sales in 2010 were between $15.4 to $15.6 billion – which represented relatively flat growth compared to 2009 (though perhaps down by 1 percent).

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Video Game Industry Braces For Negative Sales Report

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After a turbulent and revolutionary year, the video game industry is bracing itself for 2010’s holiday and total-year retail sales figures.

Buoyed by continued strong sales of titles like “Call of Duty: Black Ops” and Microsoft’s Kinect, many analysts expect December sales to show more positive momentum when the numbers are released after the market closes this afternoon.

Read more at CNBC.com

‘Call of Duty’ leads Nov. sales charge

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Activision has done something no other publisher has been able to do this year – pull the video game industry out of its retail sales slump for the second consecutive month.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops” led the industry to an impressive 9 percent gain over the 2009 retail sales numbers. Add in hardware, Kinect and the rest of the assorted offerings and the gaming industry made $2.95 billion last month, according to The NPD Group. That’s the best November on record.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

‘Call of Duty’ Likely to Rule November Video Game Sales

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Last November, Activision’s annual “Call of Duty” release ruled the sales charts in a dominant fashion. This year, the story is set to repeat itself.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops” could lead the video game industry to its second consecutive month of year-over-year retail sales gains. If so, that will be the first time this year the sector has managed to pull off that feat.

Read more at CNBC.com

NBA, Fallout rule the roost in October

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While no one will mistake October as a joyous month for video game sales, there were a few nuggets of good news from NPD this month.

Retail software sales were up 6 percent – the first time the industry has seen growth since May. And the Xbox 360 saw hardware sales increase – the only console to do so. Otherwise… well, things weren’t so good.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog

Focus Is on EA, Sony as Oct. Video Game Sales Loom

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After being severely disappointed in September, the video game industry is warily eyeing October’s retail sales numbers.

Analysts are calling for yet another decline compared to the 2009 numbers when the data is released Tuesday afternoon, roughly two hours after the market closes. Michael Pachter, managing director of Wedbush Securities, predicts software sales will drop 3 percent compared to last year, coming in at $555 million.

Read more at CNBC.com

The great video game sales mystery

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If you want to know how much money your favorite movie earned at the box office, it’s pretty easy to find out — just look at USA Today or head online. Curious about how well a music CD sold? Billboard or Nielsen’s SoundScan service will let you know.

If you want to know how your favorite video game has sold, though, you’re essentially out of luck.

Read more at Yahoo! Games

Retail purchases make up just 60 percent of game industry’s total

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September’s retail sales numbers for the video game industry might have stunk up the joint something terrible, but there’s one bright spot to be found.

The NPD Group, for the first time, has released a new spending report that incorporates not only retail sales, but used games, game rentals, subscriptions, digital full game downloads, social network games, downloadable content, and mobile game apps.

Read more at Variety’s Technotainment blog