NPD's March Numbers Show Bioshock And Tomb Raider at The Top

[Steven Bogos]

NPD's March Numbers Show Bioshock And Tomb Raider at The Top

The Xbox 360 is once again the best selling console for the month, increasing its record to a solid 27 months.

Bioshock: Infinite and Tomb Raider led the charge for this month's NPD numbers, both selling more than any other title in their respective franchises. Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon is the only handheld-exclusive title to break the top ten, selling 365K units (415K with digital sales). The Xbox 360 had another good month, once again taking the crown of best selling console for the month, reportedly moving 261K units. This marks the 27th month in a row that the 360 has been the top selling console in the US.

Despite all of these big numbers, overall hardware sales are down 10% for all console platforms, with the surprising exception of Nintendo's 3DS. Sales for the 3DS grew 9 percent compared to the same time last year. Nintendo revealed that strong sales for Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Gates to Infinity, and Monster Hunter Ultimate 3 were to thank for this. Software sales (including PC) increased by 2%, which represents the first increase in retail spending since November. The top ten selling games for the month are as follows:

Bioshock: Infinite (360, PS3, PC) Take 2 Interactive
Tomb Raider 2013 (360, PS3) Square Enix Inc.
Gears of War: Judgement (360) Microsoft
God of War: Ascension (PS3) Sony
Call of Duty: Black Ops II (360, PS3, PC, NWU) Activision Blizzard
Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS) Nintendo
MLB 13: The Show (PS3, PSV) Sony
NBA 2K13 (360, PS3, WII, NWU, PSP, PC)Take 2 Interactive
The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct (360, PS3, NWU) Activision Blizzard
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 3 (360, PS3) Namco Bandai Games

Microsoft revealed that six of the top ten console game titles were from sales on the Xbox 360. Nintendo expects to keep up the 3DS's momentum next month, with its recent Nintendo Direct event revealing more info on upcoming titles such as Yoshi's Island [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/123345-Nintendo-Details-Additions-To-Donkey-Kong-Country-Returns-3D] game.

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[Jaebird]

Just look at how much of a failure Tomb Raider is. It's only one of the top five selling games for the month of March. Square Enix should really be ashamed of publishing it.

 

[Teoes]

There's that failure, Tomb Raider, again! *takes shot*

I notice: something an awful lot: of those titles have: in common..

 

[Kuratius]

The first thing I read was "NPD march", and coincidentally, NPD is the acronym for the Nazi party in Germany(Nationalsozialistische Partei Deutschlands I think).
So basically the first thing I thought was: "Why the fuck is the escapist telling us about the NPD marching against something?"
Then I read the whole article and it started making a lot more sense.

 

[V da Mighty Taco]

I've been ninja'd already, buttfukeet I'm going to say it anyways - Tomb Raider is the second highest selling game this month, being only beaten out by Bioshock: Infinite during it's launch month, and somehow TR is still considered a disappointment by Squenix? Just, how??

 

[Kuratius]

I wonder if the NPD and the NPD Group could sue each other over copyright/trademark infringement or something like that.

 

[romxxii]

Just look at how much of a failure Tomb Raider is. It's only one of the top five selling games for the month of March. Square Enix should really be ashamed of publishing it.

IIRC, NPD only keeps track of retail sales, so that means Tomb Raider's actual sales inclusive of digital downloads is probably a lot higher.

 

[romxxii]

I've been ninja'd already, buttfukeet I'm going to say it anyways - Tomb Raider is the second highest selling game this month, being only beaten out by Bioshock: Infinite during it's launch month, and somehow TR is still considered a disappointment by Squenix? Just, how??

The how is simple: Tomb Raider may have more than made up for its budget in sales, but the company was banking on the game's sales to pull them out of some other financial sinkholes they walked into. It's like winning a million dollars at craps, and still being disappointed because you lost two million at the poker table.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Tomb Raider still failed to cure cancer and aids though.

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

Some things to point out:

It's awesome that Irrational (or someone) is actually tracking the PC sales for Infinite. Obligatory joke about Tomb Raider being a failure. I suppose Black Ops 2 would still be up there in sales after these months. But most of all...I feel so sorry for those people who were seemingly duped into buying that Walking Dead game in mass quantities : )

 

[Zombie_Moogle]

#9 & #10 both surprised & disappointed me a bit

Outside of that, it really was a quick shift from Nintendo domination to "they occasionally have one in the Top 10"

 

[CriticalMiss]

I'm surprised a Naruto game made the list. What is this 2007?

More so than the crapfest of Walking Derp: Survival Instinct? Obviously their tactic of cashing in on a popular franchise with a terrible game worked.

 

[Jaebird]

Just look at how much of a failure Tomb Raider is. It's only one of the top five selling games for the month of March. Square Enix should really be ashamed of publishing it.

IIRC, NPD only keeps track of retail sales, so that means Tomb Raider's actual sales inclusive of digital downloads is probably a lot higher.

I wasn't aware I was being serious in my initial comment.