Nov. Game Industry Sales Up 34%
Research firm NPD Group has reported overall November US videogame sales were up 34 percent year-over-year, with software sales up 15 percent; NPD’s Anita Frazier optimistic about full year.The NPD Group has informed Next-Gen that some of the historical figures that it released last night are incorrect. November results, however, are accurate. The historical errors affect forecasts, including Frazier's $13 billion-plus prediction for the full year, as well as percentage changes and year-to-date figures. The NPD apologizes and Next-Gen will update with corrections when the NPD releases the updated figures.
Figures in question have been italicized.
ImageTotal industry sales for the month were $1.7 billion and $9.4 billion year-to-date. NPD analyst Frazier expressed to Next-Gen, “I don't think any category shows any signs of the growth letting up. … I would not be surprised to see total year sales come in north of $13 billion once December figures are in.”
Videogame console software sales were $804 million versus $702 million in November 2005, topped by Microsoft’s Gears of War, which sold 1 million units and raked in $61.5 million in sales (including the higher-priced Collector’s Edition).
Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XII followed at 896,000 units and $49 million in sales, and the third slot was filled by Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda: The Twilight Princess for Wii, which sold 412,000 copies and generated $20.2 million in sales. Activision’s $80 Guitar Hero II with controller came in fourth at 356,000 units and $28 million in sales.
Frazier noted that Gears of War is Microsoft’s first Xbox 360 game that it has released at the $60 price point (the Collector’s Edition was $70), and it still managed big sales. The analyst called the game “a testament to the power of great content,” adding “Price just isn't a barrier when the content delivers.”
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Kris Graft
December 7, 2006
Source:
Next-Gen