EA Dominates U.S. September Console Game Sales

Author: by David Jenkins, Simon Carless

Following earlier reports over a relatively soft month of sales, analysts are now reporting on basic statistics for the NPD Group's September U.S. hardware and software charts, showing an overall $347 million retail sell-through, down 24% on September 2004's figures. In particular, it was revealed that only seven games sold more than 100,000 units, compared to twenty last September, showing a lack of major titles released in the month. The PlayStation 2 version of Madden NFL 06 emerged as the clear chart winner in terms of dollar grosses, selling just over 320,000 copies for that console. The Xbox version of the game also charted at number four, and the PSP version at number eleven. In fact, Electronic Arts titles dominated the charts, with seven out of the top ten titles being published by the company, and the company gaining a market share of almost 30% for the month. The second ranked title was the PlayStation 2 version of NBA Live 06, which sold close to 200,000 copies, with the Xbox version at number ten. In a chart also dominated by sports titles, Nintendo had a surprise hit with GameCube title Mario Superstar Baseball, which charted as high as number three. In fact, with THQ’s GameCube exclusive title WWE Day of Reckoning 2 at number eight, the GameCube has enjoyed one of its best month of sales all year. Elsewhere in the charts, Rainbow Six provided another hit for French publisher Ubisoft, with Lockdown entering at number five, followed by the PlayStation 2 version of EA’s NASCAR 06: Total Team Control at number six and Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 at number seven (with the Xbox version at number eighteen). In an unusual reversal of form, the Xbox version of Burnout Revenge outsold the PlayStation 2, with the former at number ten and the latter down at number fifteen. It was a poor month for portable console software, though, with Madden NFL 06 being the only PSP title in the top twenty-five. Low stock of Nintendo DS title Nintendogs seems to have kept that title from greater chart success, with the different versions appearing in the chart in reverse order to their popularity. The Chihuahua version charted at twenty-one, the Labrador version at twenty-two and the Dachshund version outside of the top twenty-five. In terms of hardware sales, the PlayStation 2 easily led the pack, with over 250,000 units sold, followed by the Xbox at around 125,000. As a result of its unusually strong software showing, plus new hardware bundles, the GameCube increased its sales noticeably, topping 100,000.