NPD: Games software sales drop 15% in February

US software sales saw another double figure year-on-year decline in February, with revenues down 15 per cent to $624.4 million.

The games market as a whole also fell by 15 per cent, to $1.26 billion. Hardware revenues were down 20 per cent to $426.4 million, while accessories were down 1 per cent to $204.7 million.

The latest figures from the NPD Group are in line with expectations, with analysts from both Wedbush Morgan and Cowan and Company having both suggested that a genuine recovery would not been seen untill at least March.

In terms of individual titles the Xbox 360 version of Take-Two's BioShock 2 was the number one selling game, with sales of 562,900 units. However, despite this success the PlayStation 3 version did not chart in the top ten at all, meaning sales of less than 219,000 units.

Although the first title was initially a 360 console exclusive a subsequent PS3 port was released and the franchise was not until now thought to be especially synonymous with the Xbox brand.

The second highest new entry is EA's Dante's Inferno at number eight and nine, where sales were almost identical across the two formats. The Sony exclusive Divine Edition allowed the PS3 version to just beat out the 360 though, at 242,500 sales to 224,700.

The final new entry of the month was PS3 exclusive Heavy Rain at number ten, with 219,300 unit sales. Quantic Dreams' title was only released on the 23rd of the month, making it difficult to compete with the other new entries.

The rest of the chart is composed of the usual Christmas hits, with New Super Mario Bros. Wii falling only one place to number two, with 555,600 sales. Many other evergreens actually saw a rise in position with the 360 version of Modern Warfare 2 up one to number three with 314,400 sales and the PS3 version up one to number six with 252,800 sales.

After a slow start Ubisoft's Just Dance on Wii continued to perform strongly, up five places to number four with 275,400 units sales. Wii Sports Resort was up one place to number five on 272,500, while Mass Effect 2 fell five places to number seven with 246,500 unit sales.

The full US top ten for February follows:

01 BioShock 2 (360)
02 New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
03 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (360)
04 Just Dance (Wii)
05 Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
06 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
07 Mass Effect 2 (360)
08 Dante's Inferno (PS3)
09 Dante's Inferno (360)
10 Heavy Rain (PS3)

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...nt-in-february