NPD: Microsoft Attach Rate Hits 8.9, PS3 Supply Improving

Following Thursday's NPD U.S. video game retail sales results, the big three console makers noted May highlights, including a high attach rate for Xbox 360 and an improving PlayStation 3 supply. Microsoft said that Xbox 360's software attach rate was an "industry-leading" 8.9. The attach rate is the average number of video games sold per a specific console. The Xbox 360 boasted the top-selling game for May in Take-Two and Rockstar San Diego's Red Dead Redemption, which sold 946,000 units on Xbox 360. Consumers spent over $156 million in May on Xbox 360 software, Microsoft said. The company also said Xbox 360 is shaping up for a strong June in terms of hardware sales. Microsoft began shipping a redesigned Xbox 360 this month and lowered the price of the original console by $50 to $149 for the hard drive-less Arcade model and $250 for the 120GB Elite model. Xbox 360 sold 195,000 hardware units in May. Sony said separately that supply for PS3 is improving. "While tight inventory had an impact on sales numbers in recent months, we are now beginning to experience greater availability of product," said Patrick Seybold, Sony Computer Entertainment America's senior director of corporate communications. PS3 sold 155,000 units in May in the U.S., an 18 percent year-on-year increase. Software revenue was up 58 percent, Sony said, but the company didn't reveal sales figures. Nintendo Wii led console sales with 335,000 units in May, and the company's DS handheld led overall sales with 384,000 units. The company said the DS represented over 86 percent of all handheld gaming platform units sold in May. Nintendo of America sales and marketing EVP Cammie Dunaway said new hardware bundles in May helped push Wii sales. "These May results show that consumers are really responding to the value proposition of our new Wii configuration that now includes Wii Sports Resort and a Wii MotionPlus accessory,"