Despite the U.S. economic troubles expected to run through the holiday shopping season, October video game sales rose 18 percent compared to the same period last year.
In the U.S., Microsoft’s price cut on its Xbox 360 game console helped it again outsell the Sony PlayStation 3, which continues to struggle due to a higher price tag. During all of October, 371,000 Xbox 360 units were sold, a much higher number than the PS3’s 190,000 tally.
Prior to the sales cut in September, the PS3 outsold the Xbox 360 225,000 to 205,000.
Microsoft’s sales numbers were likely boosted by strong sales numbers provided by Fable II, a game available for the Xbox 360.
Nintendo continued its dominance after selling a whopping 803,000 Wii consoles during October, which continues the Japanese company’s console domination. Nintendo has been able to fix its supply issues of the Wii, and many retailers actually have the $249 console in-stock and ready to be purchased.
NPD estimates the video game industry will have $22 billion in sales in all of 2008.
Not all of the game-related news from October was good, however. Video game hardware sales brought in $494.7 million, a five percent increase from last year. In more troubling news, game accessory sales dropped eight percent down to $120.2 million. In addition, this is the fourth month in a row that lower sales growth has hurt total sales numbers.
2 Comments
I've seen stacks of Wiis in most of the electronics retailers I've visited in the past month or so. I'm glad to see Nintendo finally figured out how to fix its supply and demand issue -- hopefully no more waiting in line at 5:00 a.m. to try and get a Wii. :P
- guest
- Posts: 15288
- Posted on: 16 Nov 08 05:05
Any Retailer in Europe or Asia can order any Nintendo Product.
Here in the US Market all retailers are on AUTO REPLEN get that !!! Auto = NO fnin ordering rights. This has been like this since the WII came out !!! I work for Loblaws and I know that we and Best Buy and Wallmart all got bitched smacked when the WII came out.
Nintendo tried to force us to go into No Refunds for Nintendo DS, WII . I will be honest about the game cube fiasco.. 90% went back to nintendo ( when they still took returns) working 100% but retailers couldnt sell a returned used unit at full cost so they wanted the cost price at least. This is why nintendo forced all North American retailers to AUTOMATIC replenishment = fuk u you can't order. This nonsene is all about gay refunds. In europe many big retailers dont give refunds so Nintendo lets them order.. Here Nintendo does not let any retailer order either you are on auto replen or you dont sell Nintendo product. An amazing thing for a company to send all their product to europe and not north america.. don't forget the higher euro Nintendo makes 50% more profit in Europe.. Some one needs to do a story on this as I have been explaining to all my customers why Nintendo has done this and many customers know they are guilty of this cause... Do not buy products if you do not intend to keep them!!!
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