HomeThe February 2008 NPD game console sales figures for the US has been released. This month, all sides have claimed victory, and after reading this analysis, you might come to the same conclusion as well. You can read last month’s analysis here. The figures are from NPD, a marketing research firm that releases games console sale data every month.
The figures for US sales in February are below, ranked in order of number of sales:
Apparently, this month’s results showed that Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are all winners. It’s obvious why Nintendo would claim this. Both the DS and the Wii sold in large numbers again, claiming first and second place. The DS claimed 71% of the portable gaming market, while the Wii claimed an equally impressive 45% of the next-gen console market, outdoing the previous two months’ efforts.
Sony has also claimed victory because for the second month running, the PS3 outsold the Xbox 360. Last month it was by 39,000 units, this month 26,000 units. Since I started doing this feature on the blog, the PS3’s monthly market share has jumped from just under 11% (in September 2007) to now a very healthy 29%. The Blu-ray victory appears to have had the intended effect, and Sony will be pleased with its efforts so far in 2008.
However, it may sound strange, but Microsoft has also claimed victory this month, despite coming last in the next-gen console war. As with last month, Microsoft is claiming stock shortages are the cause and that April will be the soonest that they can ensure stock is no longer a problem. Cynics might suggest that it’s just an excuse, while there does seem to be some data which suggest the claim has some validity. Regardless, the trend in the last few months have been decline in monthly market share for the 360, starting from September 2007: 45%, 36%, 35%, 37%, 30% and now finally, 26%. But to be fair, the one month that bucked the trend, December with 37%, was the month with the highest volume of sales, so if Microsoft had been expecting something like 33% in December, and got 37% instead, it does explain why they might be caught short-handed in January and now in February as well (that extra 4% equals more than 136,000 units). But excuses, whether real or not, can only last for so long and if the 360 does not outsell the PS3 in March or in April, then we will know who is telling the truth and who is not. So why is Microsoft still claiming victory? Well, it’s the software sales that will give Microsoft some encouragement.
Five of the top 10 selling games in February were Xbox 360 titles, including previously PlayStation exclusive, Devil May Cry (4), which perhaps somewhat unexpectedly, outsold the PS3 version. The PS3 version of DMC4 was the only PS3 title to make the top 10, with 2 Wii titles, 1 DS and even 1 PS2 title making the top 10. The top 10 games sold in February were:
- Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360, Activision) – 296,200
- Devil May Cry 4 (Xbox 360, Capcom) – 295,200
- Wii Play (Wii, Nintendo) – 289,700
- Devil May Cry 4 (PS3, Capcom) – 233,500
- Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (Wii, Activision) – 222,900
- Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games (DS, Sega) – 205,600
- Lost Odyssey (Xbox 360, Microsoft) – 203,600
- Turok (Xbox 360, Touchstone) -197,700
- Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PS2, Activision) – 183,800
- Rock Band (Xbox 360, MTV Games, Electronic Arts) – 161,800
So Microsoft do have something to smile about, and their earlier efforts to release the console before all others seems to have paid off. By having the most number of consoles, software sales will come naturally and Microsoft again was the most profitable company out of the 3. With almost exactly 50% of sales in the top 10, it’s hard not to be.
Predictions tell us that the Xbox 360 will regain its lead over the PS3, although barely, with April being a better months for Microsoft. The release of GTA IV in late April will also be interesting, especially to gauge whether the PS3 version or the Xbox 360 version (with exclusive content) will sell better. A good GTA IV led sales campaign might just help one console to dominate the rest of 2008.
See you next month.
