September Retail Figures Show 24% Drop in US Sales

[Karloff]

September Retail Figures Show 24% Drop in US Sales

Declining game console sales led to another year of shrinking videogame sales.

Analyst NPD Group Inc has crunched the numbers for September's videogame sales, and the result is a 24% drop when compared to September 2011. Miserable console figures were the kicker this time out; consoles sold 39% less this year as compared to last, while software sales were a slightly more modest 18% decline on last year's figures.

Madden NFL 13, perhaps predictably, was the top selling game, with Borderlands 2 biting at its heels; meanwhile Guild Wars 2 outsold World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. Of the top selling titles, four were sports games. A full listing of the top ten sellers can be found here. [https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/10/11/madden-borderlands-2-top-september-game-sales.aspx]

A critical fact to bear in mind is that the software figures don't include digital sales; they're strictly new physical retail only, across all platforms, including PC. Taking Pandaria [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/119845-Mists-of-Pandaria-Opening-Sales-Stumble] as an example, retail sales were estimated at 600-700,000 units, while Blizzard recently revealed that overall sales were 2,700,000 total including digital. That means digital made up about 74% of total Pandaria sales.

However World of Warcraft: Cataclysm sold 3,300,000 units in the first 24 hours after launch, and 4,700,000 units within its first month; meanwhile World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King sold 2,800,000 units in the first 24 hours after launch. So even taking digital into consideration, Pandaria is a slow burner, failing even to match Lich King's initial sales.

Christmas is coming, and the game makers are gearing up for the seasonal rush; they must be hoping for an improvement on the current trend of falling sales figures.

Source: Bloomberg [http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-12/u-s-video-game-sales-drop-24-in-september-npd-says.html]


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[vxicepickxv]

I expect to see a spike in November, between the new iteration of Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed, and Halo 4 all coming out that month. I know technically Assassin's Creed is coming out on the 30th of October, but I predict the Majority of sales in November, rather than October.

You would think these guys would spread it out a bit, but it seems that selling a game that's almost the same as the last one every year seems to work for them.

 

[cidbahamut]

The economy is in the toilet and people aren't buying as many video games, what a shocking turn of events. Who could have seen that coming?

 

[Falterfire]

Well, September wasn't exactly swimming in top-tier releases. There were the mentioned Borderlands, Madden, and WoW expansion, but that's about it. The fact that the numbers don't include ANY digital distribution really hurts them, especially since Torchlight II would no doubt help boost the numbers if it were included.

The economy is in the toilet and people aren't buying as many video games, what a shocking turn of events. Who could have seen that coming?

Escapism actually tends to do very well during depressions. Movies were insanely popular during the great depression because people like to be able to forget about how much life sucks for a little while.

 

[Tsaba]

I would be interested in seeing the numbers with kick starter sales (ie donate this much and get game on release) added in.

 

[Earthmonger]

Maybe the current gen of consoles is getting a bit long in the tooth? Maybe gimmicks like Kinect have lost their luster?

 

[Falseprophet]

Do console sales normally remain steady as the current generation starts winding down? The WiiU drops soon, and we know Microsoft and Sony have their next consoles in the works, even if they're hoping to get another couple of years out of their current boxes. Anyone know the historical figures on this?

 

[squid5580]

Give me something to throw my money at that doesn't have Halo or Cod in the title (I already threw my money at Dishonored, RE6 and BL2)

 

[Callate]

Conventional Wisdom would say that sales will bounce bag with the next generation of consoles.

I'm not entirely convinced that CW has the right of it this time.

 

[Epona]

Maybe people are just getting burned out on the bad behavior of game companies. Day 1 DLC, On Disc DLC, online passes, season passes, punishing the paying customer while the pirate gets the superior version, etc...

I know I am sick of it. I am just so content to sit back and play older games. I am renewing my love for the PS2 as we speak. I have found myself wanting to go back and play so many PS2 games, I even played an NES game the other day (River City Ransom).

I think and hope we are about to see a crash. This industry is sick and it needs a reboot.

 

[AzrealMaximillion]

The economy is in the toilet and people aren't buying as many video games, what a shocking turn of events. Who could have seen that coming?

Oh, people are buying games, it's just not the typical $60 title these days.

 

[Baresark]

Of course console sales have declined. The number of people who still want and need to buy any given console is going to shrink after certain point in time. It's a mountain, not a stairway to heaven. Reminds of a riddle: how far can you walk into a forest? The answer is half way, after that point you are walking out of the forest. This is how things in real life works. Only the world of faux-monetary policy do numbers climb infinitely higher.

Given the resources and will of everyone on the whole planet buying a 360 or PS3, you would eventually run out of people to buy them. In real life, the vast majority of people don't give a shit about videogames. And some gamers don't give a shit about a lot of video stuff. I don't care to buy an XBox360, for example.

 

[grigjd3]

You would think these guys would spread it out a bit, but it seems that selling a game that's almost the same as the last one every year seems to work for them.

They release in November to catch the Christmas rush.

 

[CardinalPiggles]

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Gears of War 3 and Batman: AC come out September 2011? As well as a bunch of other decent games like Resistance 3, Dead Island, Warhammer 40k and Driver: San Francisco.

Compared to this Septembers Borderlands 2, Madden 13 and Darksiders as the main retail titles.

I'd say it was bound to be last Septembers line up that sells better.

(Again, correct me if I'm wrong, I'm getting this info off a random website)

 

[Strazdas]

I am happy to see that retail is dropping, because lets face it, internet stores are selling more and more, so people are obviously moving there, skipping the middle-manadgment, meaning more money to game makers and less for store rent.
however i am saddened that this months most sold game was a full-game-priced-team-update for a NFL game. Such little changes should (and used to) be considered updates and were spread for free on the internet. it does not even constitute a extension though some recent DLC make me think you can sell 1 item (that can be created by a modder in 20 minutes) for 10% as DLCs now.

People don't have as much disposable income these days (Economy is a load of ass) People can't afford many games for 60 quid which is perfectly understandable.

im sorry but STOP IT ALREADY. economy was a load of as in 2009-2010, maybe even 2011 for some, but it is rising slowly but steadily now and the crysis is over. stop blaming it for everything.

They release in November to catch the Christmas rush.

yep, the sad reality is that christmas that is a 3 day celebration does not even fit into a month and bleeds out in November. at least the local shops haven't set up their plastic trees yet. (they have by this time last year).
Then agian, i need a new chair and christmas sale is bound to make it cheaper.

 

[Nikolaz72]

The economy is in the toilet and people aren't buying as many video games, what a shocking turn of events. Who could have seen that coming?

Its not a sign that people lack money for games, its a sign that people are moving from retail to digital.

 

[teebeeohh]

well all my friends saved their money to get dishonored and xcom on day one
and hardware sales winding down two month before the first console of the new gen in released? what a shocker

 

[likalaruku]

I hear Facebook games are also in sharp decline.

Well the problem here is the word "retail." I'm old fashioned as hell & even I rarely buy retail versions of games anymore....Mostly because no one carries PC games anymore, except the ones aimed at aging housewives that you can just buy at Bigfish for $7.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Give me something to throw my money at that doesn't have Halo or Cod in the title (I already threw my money at Dishonored, RE6 and BL2)

You either have a lot of cash lying around or are very brave.

But seriously, these reports are starting to mean almost nothing when such a high percentage of sales are digital. All this shows is the welcome sight of retail stores going out of business.