NPD: Sky Not Falling

[Emabulator]

GameSpot has the full run down of NPD's October sales report. The industry achieved an 18 percent year-over-year growth to $1.31 billion. So how did US gamers react to having the value of their 401(k)s noisily deflate like an unknotted balloon? Surprisingly, they barely batted a lash, according to the NPD Group's measure of October gaming hardware, software, and accessory sales. In sharp contrast to September's negative growth, the NPD reported today that the gaming industry pulled in $1.31 billion in October. You can find the sales charts and full article right here (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6201094.html).

[Jotoco]

I know I ended up keeping some money in my pocket because of all this financial mess. Something to do with a 50% RISE in games cost...

This numbers and steam probably mean that Fallout 3 sold most of it's games for PC. Not surprising, and I said it a while ago. Not a DEAD platform after all...

[Demo_Boy]

Remembering that last months "negative growth" was due to Halo 3 being released a year ago, so was completely expected.

[Kamalot]

Wow. I expected LBP to do better due to the number of adverts I;ve seen for it.

[Emabulator]

Remembering that last months "negative growth" was due to Halo 3 being released a year ago, so was completely expected.I agree, the Halo factor was in play last month. I was not expecting a time warp back to the Atari days type bubble bursting after last month's report.

18% is a little better than I thought it would be. There were some heavy weight titles released in October though.

[Johan]

The sky may not be falling yet, but it may yet do so if GM goes under, or the global credit crisis continues, or if home values continue to plummet.

The worst is yet to come, yet ironically, I've never been better off! :confused:

[score]

TOP-SELLING HARDWARE - OCTOBER 2008
Wii--803,000
Nintendo DS--491,000
Xbox 360--371,000
PlayStation Portable--193,000
PlayStation 3--190,000
PlayStation 2--136,000



Damn that some pretty impressive Wii numbers.

[agentgray]

Wow. I expected LBP to do better due to the number of adverts I;ve seen for it.

Released in the last week of the month?

[XiaNaphryz]

Released in the last week of the month?

Well, Fallout 3 managed to do decently and it released on the same day. Then again, it's an established brand.

[TeeCakes]

Just because I like to see charts in these NPD threads rather than read through the analysis to get to 'em:

US VIDEO GAMES INDUSTRY - OCTOBER 2008
Software: $697M (+35%)
Hardware: $495M (+5%)
Accessories: $120M (-8%)
Total Games: $1.31B (18%)

TOP-SELLING HARDWARE - OCTOBER 2008
Wii--803,000
Nintendo DS--491,000
Xbox 360--371,000
PlayStation Portable--193,000
PlayStation 3--190,000
PlayStation 2--136,000

TOP-SELLING SOFTWARE - OCTOBER 2008
Title / Publisher / Units*
1) Fable II (Xbox 360) / Microsoft / 790,000
2) Wii Fit w/ Balance Board (WII) / Nintendo / 487,000
3) Fallout 3 (Xbox 360) / Bethesda Softworks / 375,000
4) Mario Kart Wii w/ Wheel (WII) / Nintendo / 290,000
5) Wii Play w/ Remote (WII) / Nintendo / 282,000
6) Saints Row 2 (Xbox 360) / THQ / 270,000
7) SOCOM: US Navy SEALs Confrontation (PS3) / Sony / 231,000
8) Little Big Planet (PS3) / Sony / 215,000
9) NBA 2K9 (360) / Take-Two Interactive / 202,000
10) Dead Space (360) / Electronic Arts / 193,000

* Figures include Collector's Editions and non-hardware bundles.

So only Wii software titles are making it month-to-month now? Oh welp, I guess they don't count since they're first-party! :D

But seriously, first-parties are totally dominating this month's list. I guess quality>crappity.

[TeeCakes]

Of course I mean *last* month instead of *this* month.

Damn you, missing-ninja edit button.

[Johan]

I can't believe I overlooked this before; of course it's not a case of the sky falling! It's just the ground...moving up! :D

[Emabulator]

I can't believe I overlooked this before; of course it's not a case of the sky falling! It's just the ground...moving up! :DLOL! Alert Chicken Little! :p

[GhostSheets]

The drooping of my 401k did not affect my spending habbits at all. I don't see the correlation between the two. A 401k is long term savings. Daily spending is whats in your pocket. Not to mention gas prices have come WAAAY down (odd that we don't hear about THAT in the news, but we did hear about it when they high, but anyway...) so if anything I should have more anytime spending money in my pocket.

The only thing thats gone slightly up is my grocery bill. But I'd cut spending to that before I cut my video game spending any time. :)

[Trazzlo the Magnificant]

The sky may not be falling yet, but it may yet do so if GM goes under, or the global credit crisis continues, or if home values continue to plummet.

The worst is yet to come, yet ironically, I've never been better off! :confused:Real gamers don't need homes, they just need waterproof consoles and extension cords that run to the neighbors outlets. And statistically speaking, we now have proof!

Glad you are doing well through it, Johan.

[vherub]

There's a chance gaming numbers won't take a serious hit for another few months, at which point (if history is any indication), the economy will be starting to recover anyway.

[Furious Wang]

Gamers have 401Ks?

Seriously tho, I moved all my money into short term US Treasury securities about a year and a half ago when the first signs of this mess began to manifest. I haven't lost a dime :D