September NPD US Hardware/Software Sales

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6 (100%)
NDS 524.2K
PS3 491.8K
Wii 462.8K
360 352.6K
PSP 190.4K
PS2 146.0K

1 - 360 - Halo 3: ODST (Microsoft) - 1.52m
2 - Wii - Wii Sports Resort (Nintendo) - 442.9k
3 - 360 - Madden NFL 10 (EA) - 289.6k
4 - NDS - Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story (Nintendo) - 258.1k
5 - 360 - The Beatles: Rock Band (MTV/EA) - 254.0k
6 - PS3 - Madden NFL 10 (EA) - 246.5k
7 - 360 - Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (Acti-Blizzard) - 236.0k
8 - PS3 - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Square-Enix) - 212.5k
9 - 360 - Guitar Hero 5 (Acti-Blizzard) - 210.8k
10- Wii - The Beatles: Rock Band (MTV/EA) - 208.6k

11- 360 - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Square-Enix)
12- NDS - Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (Square-Enix) - 201.0k
13- NDS - Scribblenauts (Warner Bros) - 194.0k
14- 360 - NHL 10 (EA)
15- 360 - Need for Speed: Shift (EA)
16- PS3 - Need for Spped: Shift (EA)
17- PS3 - Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (Acti-Blizzard)
18- NDS - Professor Layton & the Diabolical Box (Nintendo)
19- Wii - Wii Fit w/Balance Board (Nintendo) - 134.0k
20- PS3 - The Beatles: Rock Band - 132.4k

Analysis from NPD's Anita Frazier:
The industry managed a modest increase over September 2008, and generated the second bestselling September on record after 2007 when Halo 3 released and sold over 3 million copies that month.

On a unit sales basis, the industry was flat. The increase in revenues is driven by a rise in average retail prices in all categories with the exception of console hardware in which the average retail price decreased 8% from last September.

Across all categories, the Xbox 360 platform contributed the most to industry unit and dollar sales as sales of 360 hardware, software and accessories comprised 32% of the month's revenues.


All three console manufacturers enjoyed the impact of lower prices on unit sales as the PS3, Wii, and Xbox 360 realized an increase over August of 87%, 33%, and 31% respectively, on an average sales per week basis (keeping in mind September was a 5-week month compared to 4-weeks in August).

Compared to last September, the PS3 was the big winner, more than doubling last year's sales. This portrays a very strong consumer reaction to the price decrease as August and September both realized a lift of more than 70% over the prior month. This is the first month that the PS3 has captured the top spot in console hardware sales.

The best-selling platform overall remained the Nintendo DS which has topped hardware sales for 6 consecutive months.


Halo 3 certainly impacted the industry two years ago (Sep'07) when it was launched, and this year, Halo 3: ODST realized impressive sales making it the 6th best-selling SKU launch of all time. Five of the top 10 software items for the month were on the Xbox 360 platform.

We know all eyes are going to be on the Rock Band and Guitar Hero sales since the music/dance genre has been so closely followed by many this year. Both titles captured a spot in the top 10 for the month and at the item level, across all platforms, The Beatles: Rock Band came in third behind Halo 3: ODST and Madden NFL 10 while Guitar Hero 5 came in fourth. The Beatles: Rock Band achieved this level of success with an average retail price premium of 130% to the average retail price for software overall. The sales of Rock Band and Guitar Hero led the music/dance genre to a 72% dollar sales increase over September 2008.

Madden NFL 10 made up some ground this month. Although when launched in August the game sold 19% fewer units than its predecessor a year prior, with a second month of sales in, that deficit has been reduced to 13%, which bodes very well for the title through the holiday season.


The Wii Motion Plus captured the top spot for accessory sales this month, while Wii Remote Controller was the second best-selling item in terms of units, but generated the most dollar sales in the accessories category. Accessories for the 360 platform accounted for five of the top-10 accessory items for the month.

[quote name='wired.com']NPD added that The Beatles: Rock Band outsold Guitar Hero 5, saying that MTV’s Beatles game sold 595,000 units in total across the three platforms while Activision’s sequel sold 499,000 copies in total across its four platforms (which include PlayStation 2).

In an email, MTV said that it sold 100,000 downloads of the song “All You Need Is Love” in September.[/quote]

Leak (reliable)

Wii - Dead Space: Extraction >9k
PSP - Motorstorm: Arctic Edge
 
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Finally Sony takes one. Looks like the price cut helped for September. Will be interesting to see how this carries over into the holiday season.

Next month's NPD contains a full month of the Wii price cut as well, so it could be very interesting.
 
[quote name='adbot']Wow, 360 had a price drop too and got totally slaughtered. I'm surprised.[/QUOTE]

It's been out a year longer, probably closer to market saturation than the PS3 as it's been $300 (and under) for longer etc.
 
Batman was by Square? I have no idea how that slipped past me.

Kind of surprised MUA2 was up there. Great game, but didn't think it had that kind of selling power.
 
[quote name='CaptainJoel']Batman was by Square? I have no idea how that slipped past me.

Kind of surprised MUA2 was up there. Great game, but didn't think it had that kind of selling power.[/QUOTE]

It was by Eidos. Square acquired them.
 
[quote name='adbot']Wow, 360 had a price drop too and got totally slaughtered. I'm surprised.[/QUOTE]
Technically they just had a SKU shuffle, since they were at the same price points before and after ($199 and $299)
 
[quote name='SuperPhillip']It was by Eidos. Square acquired them.[/QUOTE]
Wow, okay, I knew Eidos made it, but I had no idea they were bought by Square. That is awesome!
 
Beatles beat GH after smacktalk by Activision? I am pleased.
Batman now leads on PS3 version in sales domestically. Difference last month was very slim.
PS3 beat Wii, but still close. Wii will be back on top next month.
 
Good month for PS3 but I wonder what next month will look like. Also, it is crazy how much the Xbox 360 is still slaughtering the PS3 at the 35 month mark numbers.
 
Apparently several big PSP titles sold poorly last month.
Motorstorm: AE sold less than 3,000 copies... :(
Click to expand...
It was out for 2 days in the month! Still PSP has some major software issues but you can't use that as an example.
 
Sony should do pretty well this holiday season, however they need to have a nice bundle prepared for the holidays, 2 games 2 controllers...
 
Leaked stuff added.

The late in the month release very rarely works as an excuse. The vast majority of games are frontloaded to the point where week 1 sales exceeds weeks 2 through 5 combined. While just a day or two may be another matter, you generally cant expect a good showing for the next month.

This might sound worse coming from me, but I find 35k for Muramasa impressive. Its already outsold over a third of the lifetime sales of the titles Atlus/NIS have published this generation + PS2/GBA and is within 10k from being above half+. That and costs for Ignition were low, with their half assed localization that included no voice work, and minimal advertising.

Killzone 2 (Released Feb 27)
Feb NPD - 323k (3 days)
March NPD - 296k (5 week reporting period)
 
Most surprising thing on that list is Batman. Only dropped from 290k in August to 212k in September, seems like a damn good turnover to me. I wonder if it's because of the Joker dlc or other reasons. If so, maybe that will lead to more companies looking into Sony exclusive content.
 
Strong numbers for the newly priced PS3 slim. I do see it surpassing the 360 in the long run. You just can't deny the legacy of PS2.

I was very tempted to 'almost' get one myself. When God of War III hits, all bets are off!

thanks, Dr. Mario Kart!!
 
[quote name='Mospeada_21']Strong numbers for the newly priced PS3 slim. I do see it surpassing the 360 in the long run. You just can't deny the legacy of PS2.[/QUOTE]


The PS3 is still over 2.5 million units behind the 360 at the same point in their lifecycles. The PS3 has a LOT of catching up to do. I don't see the PS3 making up that + a whole year of sales this gen.
 
[quote name='Malik112099']The PS3 is still over 2.5 million units behind the 360 at the same point in their lifecycles. The PS3 has a LOT of catching up to do. I don't see the PS3 making up that + a whole year of sales this gen.[/QUOTE]

Anyone with realistic expectations knows that 360 will outsell the PS3 this gen in the US unless this gen last for like 5+ more years. Worldwide tho, PS3 is going to make a ton of headway and surpass the 360 without much trouble. The 360 is just too US centric for its own good. IMO anyway.
 
[quote name='Malik112099']The PS3 is still over 2.5 million units behind the 360 at the same point in their lifecycles. The PS3 has a LOT of catching up to do. I don't see the PS3 making up that + a whole year of sales this gen.[/QUOTE]

Isn't that just for the U.S? Pretty sure that it's ahead, at the same point in time, if you look at worldwide sales.
 
The PSN store cards are the specific games ones, not credit. Sales were tracked through Oct 3.

I dont know when those cards actually made it to stores, but they are still usable for all existing PSPs after all. I think the idea is that they werent supposed to sell that great in the first place. The cards arent necessary if you have an internet connection and a credit card.

Regarding 360 vs PS3 worldwide, 360 still holds a marginal lead in Europe, and home consoles are irrelevant in Japan. Any deficit is going to be very slow to be made up. You also have to consider that at this point, it doesnt really matter. If PS3 pulls ahead by a small amount toward the end, its not going to be changing the development situation for the platform, which is ultimately all that matters for end users. If Natal and Swaggle extend really do extend the lifespan of the machines for several more years, and Nintendo doesnt start a new cycle early, that certainly is PS3's best chance. I dont personally see it happening, but like with xbox1 beating gamecube by as little as under a million depending on whose estimates you're using, it doesnt matter much.

Should have top 20 by the end of the day, hopefully.
 
Thanks for specifying.

Some trends just aren't adding up this time around though. For as huge as the Wii is, the end-users seem to be allergic to Wii titles other than (1) Nintendo publshed titles and (2) very select third-party titles. RB/GH sell very well on the Wii, but how many more chances is EA going to give the Wii with exclusive titles? They succeeded with Tiger Woods 10, didn't they? (they should have, because it was awesome.) But then they shit the bed with Madden 10 and Dead Space, games that sold exponentially well on other systems.
 
That Joker content must've really helped for the PS3 Arkham Asylum.

[quote name='adbot']Wow, 360 had a price drop too and got totally slaughtered. I'm surprised.[/QUOTE]


How did it get slaughtered? It had a year over year increase.
 
Did anyone see an ad for Spyborgs or Dead Space on TV or a magazine that isn't gaming related? I know I didn't. Heck, I didn't even know Spyborgs WAS OUT until I saw the 'Spyborgs for $20' thread. Even with Madden, you saw a slew of PS3 and 360 ads for it, but none for Wii. If Assassin's Creed has taught any publisher anything, if you tell people a game is coming out for a platform, they will buy the damn game, no matter how glaring the flaws are.
 
Interesting month. I'd like to see development costs on a psp game vs. sales because those just seem to get slaughtered every month. I own a psp and I think the age of spending forty dollars on a handheld game is over for me.
EDIT: I agree with the Dead Space argument. Who exactly was that game made for?
The spyborgs number is CRAZY. In all of the United States they sold 500 odd copies. Holee shit.
 
[quote name='adbot']Wow, 360 had a price drop too and got totally slaughtered. I'm surprised.[/QUOTE]

Are you kidding me? 140k is slaughter? PS3 has had pent up demand for a $299 price point, and the Elite was not really a price drop more of a sku shuffle. Yet PS3 only wins by 140k seems really low. It looks like America still loves the 360 in the long run, and Sony doesn't have a chance till it hits $199 or less in the US. Europe and Japan is different of course.

Scribblenauts did pretty well, and I have no idea why Capcom gave the green light to Spyborgs either.
 
[quote name='Monsta Mack']I had no idea that 42% of owners of the 360 or PS3 also owned a Wii 0_0[/QUOTE]
Its households, which is something I have a problem with. I wouldve gone with making the primary user the owner regardless of how many people live there.

There is no difference between (for example) a 1 person household who owns a 360 and a Wii vs a family of four where one of the teenage kids has a 360 in his room and there is a Wii out in the living room for the parents. In the latter case I wouldve preferred that they consider that 1 owner of a 360 and 1 owner of a Wii.
 
[quote name='sotc1988']Interesting month. I'd like to see development costs on a psp game vs. sales because those just seem to get slaughtered every month. I own a psp and I think the age of spending forty dollars on a handheld game is over for me.
EDIT: I agree with the Dead Space argument. Who exactly was that game made for?
The spyborgs number is CRAZY. In all of the United States they sold 500 odd copies. Holee shit.[/QUOTE]

I think sales in Japan make a lot of psp games worthwhile even if they don't do so hot here. Also are portable game sales as frontloaded in sales as console games?
 
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