NPD Octobre : une bonne affaire pour TTWO + TOP 10!!

October 2014 U.S. Video-game Sales Results: Hardware +59% y/y, Software -27% y/y

NPD October 2014 video-game sell-through results are out tonight. This is the gold standard for video-game geeks who want to know how games are selling and which titles are doing well. Thankfully since I’m covering the sector for Yahoo Finance, NPD was kind enough to send me the data.

Total video game sales came in at $790.7 million, about flat vs. last year. Video-game hardware sales were $273.5 million, +59% year-over-year. However that is a slow down from the +136% year-over-year growth last month. Console video-game software sales were -27% year-over-year to $350.3 million. Accessories grew 22% year-over-year to $166.8 million from increased sales of video-game points and subscriptions cards according to NPD Group’s Liam Callahan.

Liam also said, “October 2014 marks the first 12 months of sales for the Xbox One and PS4; and after the first year, these consoles have had a great start as cumulative sales are currently over 70% higher than the combined first year totals of Xbox 360 and PS3. Hardware sales of eighth generation consoles represent close to 80% of dollar sales this month”

Top 10 best-selling titles for the month of October:

1. NBA 2K15 (PS4, XBO, 360, PS3, PC) – Take-Two Interactive
2. Super Smash Bros. (3DS) – Nintendo
3. The Evil Within (PS4, XBO, PS3, 360, PC) – Bethesda Softworks
4. Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel! (360, PS3, PC) – Take-Two Interactive
5. Destiny (360, XBO, PS4, PS3) – Activision Blizzard
6. Skylanders Trap Team (360, Wii, NWU, PS3, XBO, PS4, 3DS, MOB) – Activision Blizzard
7. FIFA 15 (PS4, 360, PS3, XBO, Wii, PSV, 3DS) – Electronic Arts
8. Madden NFL 15 (360, PS4, PS3, XBO) – Electronic Arts
9. Middle Earth: Shadow Of Mordor (PS4, XBO, PC) – Warner Bros. Interactive
10. Minecraft (360, PS3, PS4) – Microsoft / Sony

Sony tweeted the PlayStation 4 was “the top-selling console in the US for October.”

The slow down in hardware sales growth from last month is a bit worrisome especially as we anniversary the launches of the Sony Playstation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One in November.

I’m in the camp the next few months will be difficult as growth rates are likely to fall dramatically due to tough annual comps. However in February software sales should re-accelerate and be strong the rest of 2015 due to the impressive title slate starting with Take-Two’s Evolved, Sony’s Order: 1886, Bloodbourne, Witcher 3, and Batman Arkham Knight mid-year.

It might be a cold winter for video-game sales, but it is the darkness before the dawn. 2015 should be a glorious time for gamers.

http://finance.yahoo.com/tumblr/blog-october-2014-u-s-video-game-sales-results-h-w-59-004144680.html