New consumers help boost US hardware sales

New consumers have helped boost the sale of videogame hardware in the US during January, with sales rising 17 per cent compared to the same period last year, to USD 445.4 million.

Hardware sales outpaced software which grew to USD 676.6 million, or 10 per cent.

"We would expect to see a greater percentage of total industry sales generated by software sales, but the continued strength in hardware sales is changing that scenario a bit," commented NPD's Anita Frazier.

"This will have a long-term positive impact on the industry as the user base expands. Software sales still increased 10 percent over last January, indicating that continued strong hardware sales are not occurring at the expense of software sales."

According to NPD data, combined hardware and software sales reached USD 1.33 billion in January, up 13 per cent on last year's 1.18 billion.

"Even in these tough economic times, the fact that total sales were able to realize a 13 percent increase in revenue speaks to the continued strength of videogames as one of the leading entertainment industries in the US," added Frazier.

Nintendo's Wii sold 676,200 units during the month , with the DS shifting 510,800 units.

Microsoft's Xbox 360 sold 309,000 units according to NPD, ahead of Sony's PlayStation 3, which sold 203,200 units.

Sony's handheld, the PSP, moved 172,300 units, and the stalwart PlayStation 2 a further 101,200 units.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...hardware-sales