NPD: Video Game Hardware Sales Have Fallen In March 2015

There are many who believe that gaming on the PC is the way to go, and that mobile is the new platform that gaming companies should focus on. However this has not stopped companies from releasing new hardware. Heck, even Nintendo has publicly announced that they are planning a new console for the future, but the question is, should they?

According to recent figures released by the NPD Group, it seems that video game hardware sales are on the decline. The figures revealed that sales of hardware has dropped by more than 20% in the US in March which is actually a continuation of the decline from earlier this year in January. The total amount of sales was $311 million which ultimately dragged the aggregate which includes games and accessories to $963.7 million.

This is a 6% drop from the same time last year. However it seems that decline has only affected hardware sales as video game sales itself only saw a slight dip of 3%. There are a variety of factors affecting the decline. Some have suggested that this is because gamers who wanted the new consoles have already bought them, and that the figures after the initial rush have been inconsistent.

Microsoft has tried to defend these figures by claiming that sales of the Xbox One have outpaced that of its predecessor at the same time in its release, while Nintendo offered that its Wii U had seen an increase in sales of 20% over the same period last year. Sony on the other hand has yet to make a statement.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Gaming
Tags: survey