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The NPD Group’s 2009 sales report, which tracks U.S. hardware and software sales, has released. The two biggest takeaways from the report is that retail sales in 2009 were significantly lower than they were just a year ago, but that Holiday 2009 was the biggest month for the industry on record. Specifically, NPD reports that “portable and console hardware, software and accessories, generated revenues of close to $19.66 billion, an 8 percent decline over the $21.4 billion generated in 2008.” When looking at just the 2009 software numbers, the industry faired even a bit worse, revealed NPD. “The total console, portable, and PC game software industry generated $10.5 billion, an 11 percent decline vs. the $11.7 billion generated in 2008.” Portable hardware proved to be the only sector in which 2009 outdid 2008. Handhelds, dominated by DS Lite and DSi sales, actually rose 6% when compared to last year; portable software, on the other hand, dropped by 10%.
On a better note, Holiday 2009 numbers were record-setting: “December sales broke all industry records and underscores the incredible value consumers find in computer and video games even in a down economy,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association. As if there ever was any doubt, NPD confirmed that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the top-selling game of 2009; the game actually holding down two places in 2009’s top 10. However, as good as Modern Warfare 2’s sales were, Nintendo’s domination of the top 10 is perhaps even more impressive. “6 of the top 10 games totaling 20.8 million units for the year were on the Wii platform,” said The NPD Group’s Anita Frazier. In fact, 7 of the top 10 best-selling games were on Nintendo consoles when you include DS. The 2009 top-selling games charts furnished by NPD are listed below.
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