Analysis: July 2009 NPD Hardware Sales -- Low, Low, Low, Low, Low, Low

23 Comments Posted August 13, 2009 - By r_pad

The Console Wars: Rise of the Machines

Sweet. I got to make a Flo Rida reference in an NPD article (one of my goals for 2009). NPD Group has released its July 2009 sales data for the major consoles. While July is a typically slow month for gaming, especially on the hardware front, the sales figures are down for everyone. Here are the digits, with last month's numbers in parenthesis:

Nintendo DS: 538,900 (down from 766,500)
Nintendo Wii: 252,500 (down from 361,700)
Xbox 360: 202,900 (down from 240,600)
PlayStation Portable: 122,800 (down from 163,500)
PlayStation 3: 121,800 (down from 164,700)
PlayStation 2: 108,000 (down from 152,700)

NPD Group analyst Anita Frazier noted, "The U.S. video games industry declined for the fifth consecutive month, bringing year-to-date sales to $8.16 billion, down 14% from the same time period last year. Hardware sales have slowed considerably on nearly every platform. The Xbox 360 is the only console system showing a unit sales increase year-to-date, while the NDS has the highest sales of all hardware platforms both for the month, and year-to-date."

With few "system selling" games released in July and August, the hardware numbers won't turn around any time soon. As Patrick noted in his July 2009 software analysis, Wii Sports Resort is selling very well, but it's not pushing any hardware (yet). While Madden 10 is sure to sell at a hot clip in August, is it a system seller this far into a generation? I don't think so. Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony count on big sales during the last four months of the year. This year it will be banking on them more than usual.

I'm sure you have plenty of thoughts on July's hardware numbers. So have at it!

Tags: Nintendo DS, NPD Analysis, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Videogames, Wii, Xbox 360

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Scottydsntknow

not surprised, games need to be released year round

Posted: August 13, 2009 7:10 PM | Reply | Report

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g4ismediocre

Not surprised either. I will be surprised if NPD sales for the winter were low. But by the looks of it, NPD gross sales this year, will be down compared to last year. But Q1 for 2010 has some shining light in my opinion, even though lots of games are coming out in that time period. Why can't developers spread game releases so that they can actually make more money.

Posted: August 13, 2009 7:24 PM | Reply | Report

+3 thumbs up thumbs down

1 Reply
FrontLinePlaya

no surprise here there are no good games released during the summer so nobody buys a console. everyone trys to pack there games into the holiday season. they should consider spreading out the calender.

Posted: August 13, 2009 7:37 PM | Reply | Report

+2 thumbs up thumbs down

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teac77

he forgot the DSi

Posted: August 13, 2009 7:41 PM | Reply | Report

-2 thumbs up thumbs down

1 Reply
Blue_Vortex

@teac77,
DSi is put together with DS sales.

Posted: August 13, 2009 8:54 PM | Reply | Report

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dozerx8

they make new consoles every what 5 years or so? whats the next date on a new console system?

Posted: August 13, 2009 8:57 PM | Reply | Report

-3 thumbs up thumbs down

1 Reply
StrongestSaiyan

More evidence that summer would be a great time to release games. Sales are so slow that both retailers and gamers would love to see more. Let's see, I bought inFamous and Prototype at the start of summer, and there has been nothing else.

Posted: August 13, 2009 9:37 PM | Reply | Report

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partyboy8967

As i would like to see more games out during the summer it would be a dumb decision i think. There are THOUSANDS of little kids who will only get Modern warfare 2 because they are asking for it for x mas. Dont forget that the x mas market is HUGE when we were all little kids we would count on our parents buying them, which the opputunity is much bettter around x-mas. Sure i would like to see games come out in winter b/c im 18 and got a job but what about all the kids who are 15 and under who dont got a job and count on christmas? Games in the summer would be AWSOME but i think it would be a bad decision on the developers part.

Posted: August 13, 2009 11:31 PM | Reply | Report

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partyboy8967

It will also be very intristing to see how and if the ps3 numbers change after there is a price drop (which supposedly is next week)

Posted: August 13, 2009 11:34 PM | Reply | Report

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austin43

and cue the fanboys...now!

Posted: August 14, 2009 12:00 AM | Reply | Report

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lucidity

Seems a lot of people thought that 2009 would be the year of the ps3. A lot of ps3 games were toted about that ended up in 2010.
Now seven months into the year, the 360 train continues to dominate HD gaming.
The ps3 has a 2 million lead in Japan, but is 1.5m behind in Europe. The 360's lead in North America is 9m.
The 360s origonal lead of 5m has expanded to more than 8.5m.
Software sales and online activity confirm the dominance.

Posted: August 14, 2009 12:11 AM | Reply | Report

+9 thumbs up thumbs down

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l33t360

fanboys sure talk alot but when it's time to discuss solid facts they are nowhere to be found.

Typical.

Posted: August 14, 2009 5:43 AM | Reply | Report

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blasphemous Show Hide(3 Replies)

silly xbots

you just dont learn, the wii is kickin yo azz. wii sports is the BEST GAME this gen PERIOD.

didnt you know that sales=quality? well you silly xbots should, after all it is on page 2 of the xbot play book.

Play sales, xbots, we PS3 fans will continue to play some of the best exclusives this gen.

Play Beyond, xbots.

Posted: August 14, 2009 8:41 AM | Reply | Report

-10 thumbs up thumbs down

3 Replies
lucidity

Some people don't read the source articles and are, therefor, a little ignorant on this subject.
The Wii's year over year sales are down 54.9%
The 360 just 0.93%

This trend has remained constant for all of 2009.

Consider the ramifications

Posted: August 14, 2009 9:03 AM | Reply | Report

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JohnnyBuku

2009 - Year of the PS3.... not so much. There's always next year....

Those numbers are getting scary for Sony in particular. Hopefully they announce a price drop next Tuesday and I for one will push that sad NPD up to 120,801...

Posted: August 14, 2009 9:07 AM | Reply | Report

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down311

It's July and people spend alot of money on getting out of the house, they go to lake resorts, fishing trips, Wi Dells and so on. All this chart shows is that people are getting out before school and fall start. I don't think this has much to do with the recession.

Posted: August 14, 2009 9:21 AM | Reply | Report

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Anth0ny5_MadG4m3

u know what if u got ur faviorite console jus shut up cuz dis only matters to the companys wess side ps3 SIN CITY

Posted: August 14, 2009 9:37 AM | Reply | Report

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meh_siah

The 12 steps of Fan Boyism addiction recovery:

step 1: Admit you have a problem (you cant afford 2 systems and/or too narrow minded to appreciate the best in everything)

step 2: Only power greater than yourself can restore you to sanity (power greater than you = everyone, listen to them).

step 3: Make a decision to turn your will and self over to the care of God (Get education; apply education to carrer; turn money over to Sony, Microsoft and/or Nintendo)

step 4: Make fearless moral inventory of yourself (dont ask your mom, shes only been lying to you...)

step 5: Admit to God, yourself and all others the exact nature of your wrongs (thats staright forward enough; quit being so damn ignorant).

step 6: We are entirely ready to have God remove all defects of our character (for some of you, thats asking a lot from the big guy; skip to step 7).

step 7: Humbly ask him to remove your shortcomings (did I say step 7? I meant to say, skip to step 8).

step 8: Make a list of all we had harmed and make amends (after a night of immersing yourself in the fantastic world of Fable II, switch over for some sweet, hot KillZone2 MP pwnage and then cap it off with relaxing screening of Chocolat on Blu Ray with your signifigant other (I'm giving you benefit of doubt). Go on over to G4.com, make a post on The Feed comment section, and appologize to all those whom you have made dumber for having read your original comment).

step 9: Make direct amends to such people wherever possible (copy and paste retractory comments to ign.com as well, also make a sandwich, all these steps have probably made you hungry)

step 10: Continue to make personal inventory while correcting your wrongs (step 8, step 9, repeat - also, take a shower and maybe try to read a book)

step 11: Pray with God for constant self improvement (replace Pray with Play and God with COD, self improvement optional)

step 12: Having had spirtual awakening as reslut of steps, try to carry on message to others (copy and paste this post and spread the word of fanboy addiction awareness, stupid! ALSO, correct my mis-spelled words and sentence fragments. You're welcome).

Posted: August 14, 2009 9:56 AM | Reply | Report

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1 Reply
Haylo34

i still acnt believe 360 is out selling ps3, even w/ killzone 2.

Posted: August 14, 2009 10:02 AM | Reply | Report

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cwhas2godhands

and now here's the part where i bitch about game prices also being too high. btw... congrats sony on possibly finally lowering the cost of uncharted... you greedy a-holes.

Posted: August 14, 2009 10:30 AM | Reply | Report

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