Tag: Npd
News September 2019 NPD: 2K Games on Top As Industry Declines Continue
Code Vein somehow makes top ten
2K Games’ double-billing of NBA 2K20 and Borderlands 3 jumped to the top of the USA sales charts for September, as industry spend continued to sink year-over-year due to dwindling hardware numbers. Total industry spend topped out at $1.278 billion – down eight per cent compared to the same month last year. FIFA 20...
News August 2019 NPD: Game Sales Sink to 20 Year Low as Control Misses Out
Madden still on top
Game sales sank to a 20-year low in August 2019 in the United States, with overall consumer spend falling 18 per cent year-over-year. All sectors registered declines, with Nintendo Switch once again dominating the hardware charts. The performance was so poor across the board last month that it’s actually dragged down the entire...
News July 2019 NPD: Madden NFL 20 Enters the Red Zone
Slow month for Sony overall
Console hardware sales were down 22 per cent year-over-year in July 2019, as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One continue to grow a little long in the tooth. Sony’s pricing stubbornness has allowed the Nintendo Switch to comfortably top the console charts, which is the only system to experience growth so far this year. It...
News June 2019 NPD: Days of Play Does the Business for PS4
Massive increase for PS4 exclusives
Sony’s annual Days of Play promotion has become a big part of the PlayStation calendar, with a surprising number of exclusive titles making the June 2019 NPD software best-sellers list. Discounted favourites such as Marvel’s Spider-Man, Days Gone, MLB The Show 19, and God of War all made the month’s Top 20...
News April 2019 NPD: Days Gone Lands Huge Launch, But Can't Lay a Glove on MK11
MLB The Show 19 still hitting home runs
Days Gone secured the seventh biggest Sony-published debut in US history, but still couldn’t stop the Mortal Kombat 11 juggernaut, which topped the respective sales charts for all four formats it released on. According to NPD data, the brutal brawler is already the second best-selling title of 2019 in...
News March 2019 NPD: MLB The Show 19 Sets a Genre Sales Record
The Division 2, Sekiro start strong
It was a March 2019 of hardware dominance in the United States for the Nintendo Switch, as the ageing PlayStation 4 and Xbox One continue their natural downturn ahead of the new generation. Overall industry spend for the month was down 11 per cent year-over-year, with hardware seeing the most significant decline...
News February 2019 NPD: ANTHEM Lands BioWare's Second Highest US Launch
Singing from the right hymn sheet
ANTHEM hasn’t been a complete and utter failure – well, assuming you ignore virtually everything to do with the game itself. The title topped the February 2019 NPD charts in the United States, registering the second highest launch for a BioWare title of all time. It’s only outpaced by Mass Effect 3, which you...
News January 2019 NPD: Kingdom Hearts III, Resident Evil 2 Top Sales Charts
But industry down 19 per cent year-over-year
The first NPD result of the year is in, and the industry slipped to a 19 per cent year-over-year decline in the United States – despite titles like Kingdom Hearts III and Resident Evil 2 putting in a decent performance. The drop can be directly attributed to slipping hardware and software sales, as...
News December 2018 NPD: PS4 Pipped at the Post by Smash Bros and Switch
But year-on-year gain for Sony's system
It took the last month of the year for the Nintendo Switch to topple the PlayStation 4, but Sony’s system was forced to settle for second place in the United States’ hardware hierarchy for 2018. While the PS4 had been leading NPD for the vast majority of the year, the Japanese giant opted not to offer any...
News Spider-Man PS4 Is the Fastest Selling Superhero Game in US History
Got 'em, Tiger
In its first three months on sale in the United States, Marvel’s Spider-Man has become the fastest-selling superhero game ever. This means that it has outpaced juggernauts like Batman: Arkham Knight, and even more impressive is that the statistic does not include bundle sales. Considering that the PlayStation 4 exclusive was a part...
News November 2018 NPD: PS4 Best Seller As All Systems Shine
A bumper month
The story of 2018 has by and large been that all major systems have performed well, and that continued in November with stat-tracking firm the NPD Group reporting that all three primary platforms exceeded sales of 1.3 million units for the month. As was expected, the PlayStation 4 was the best-seller in terms of unit sales, buoyed by...
News Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Sales Unaffected by Absent Single Player Campaign
Series on target regardless
Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 topped the October 2018 NPD sales results in the United States, beating Red Dead Redemption 2 and proving that the clamours for the series’ missing single player campaign were overblown by a very vocal minority. The first-person shooter – which is currently 2018’s top-selling title in the...
News October 2018 NPD: Call of Duty, Red Dead Propel PS4 to Record Month
Sony's system sets new October high
With news that Sony’s big PlayStation 4 bundle for Black Friday 2018 is selling out this November, it seems that we can safely say the system is performing as strongly as ever five years into its lifespan. And the October 2018 NPD report for the United States is yet more evidence of that, as the console
News PS Vita's All-Time US Best-Sellers Show Why Sony Binned System
Top ten's life sales equivalent to Spidey's first month
NPD analyst Mat Piscatella has released the list of all-time best-selling PlayStation Vita software in the United States, and it paints a pretty damning picture. Top of the charts is launch title Uncharted: Golden Abyss, and it’s followed by the dismal Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified and...
News September 2018 NPD: Marvel's Spider-Man Enjoys the Biggest Launch in PlayStation History
PS4 tops hardware charts
Marvel’s Spider-Man smashed records during its launch month in the United States, with the NPD Group reporting that the exclusive secured the highest launch month dollar sales for a PlayStation exclusive of all time. The title also enjoyed seventh largest debut of any PlayStation release ever, and is the third best-selling...
News NPD Reveals PSVR's Best Sellers in the US So Far
What do you reckon is number one?
We rarely get sales data specifically for PlayStation VR, so this tidbit courtesy of the NPD Group is interesting for the handful of you that care. It shows the top five best-selling titles in the United States which require Sony’s headset, meaning the likes of Resident Evil 7 are excluded. The games are ranked...
News August 2018 NPD: PS4 Can't Dethrone Switch as Madden NFL 18 Rushes Software Charts
Sacked
While the PlayStation 4 dominated the United States hardware charts five months in a row earlier this year, the Nintendo Switch kept the throne warm for a second month in August 2018. It's the third time this year that Sony’s ageing platform has fallen just short, but with Marvel’s Spider-Man reportedly ripping up the record books around...
News July 2018 NPD: PS4 Can't Make It Six Months in a Row
Still the best-selling system of the year, though
We figured that the PlayStation 4, in its fifth term, was going to make way for the newer Nintendo Switch in the NPD hardware charts this year, but it’s actually maintained its position at the top for much of 2018 thus far. A slow July means that it couldn’t quite make it six months in a row,...
News June 2018 NPD: PS4 Outsells All Current-Gen Competitors
But can't beat the NES
We really thought this would be the year where the PlayStation 4 starts to slow down a bit, but Sony’s console has continued to storm the United States hardware charts, beating all of its current-gen competitors for a fifth successive month. Amazingly, the system was actually outsold by the NES Classic in June 2018, although...
News May 2018 NPD: PS4 on Top Yet Again, Detroit Starts Strong
Another record breaking month for PlayStation
With the PlayStation 4 nearing its fifth anniversary, we had expected the Nintendo Switch to take the lead on Sony’s system in the United States hardware charts – but it’s just not happening yet. The Japanese giant’s popular platform enjoyed a fourth consecutive month in the throne in May, with...
News April 2018 NPD: PS4 Breaks Records in Staggering Month
God of War, MLB The Show 18 on fire
God of War helped propel the PlayStation 4 to a sensational April 2018 in the United States, where the system set a new software sales record for the month since data tracking started all the way back in 1995. The console – which was unsurprisingly the top-selling system of the month – also registered the...
News March 2018 NPD: PS4 Tops Hardware Charts as MLB Registers Record
Home run
Sony maintained its position atop the United States hardware charts with another impressive NPD result, outselling all other consoles in the month of March 2018. The console was buoyed by the release of MLB The Show 18, which set a franchise record during its launch month. However, Far Cry 5 unsurprisingly swept aside all competition,...
News February 2018 NPD: PS4 Wrestles Hardware Crown Off Nintendo Switch
Monster Hunter: World still killing it
The PlayStation 4 was the best-selling console in the United States for the first time since November in February 2018, with Sony temporarily wrestling the crown from Nintendo in what is sure to become a constant back-and-forth. We’re only two months into 2018, but the PS4 is now the best-selling platform of...
News January 2018 NPD: PS4 Drives Most Revenue as Monster Hunter: World Dominates
Industry up 59 per cent year-over-year
The PlayStation 4 couldn’t slow the momentum of the Nintendo Switch in January 2018’s NPD report, as the Mario maker’s latest piece of hardware topped unit sales in what was an amazing month for the United States games industry overall. However, Sony will be secretly pleased, as its system generated the...
News December 2017 NPD: Call of Duty: WWII Conquers $3.29 Billion Month
PS4 crowned best-selling console of 2017
Those people who wrote articles about the death of the console industry prior to the release of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One should hang their heads in shame, as Call of Duty: WWII just dominated a $3.29 billion month for the United States games industry. That’s up 10 per cent over year-over-year,...
News November 2017 NPD: PS4 Dominates Hardware Sales with Best Ever Month, Call of Duty Is King
Switch, Xbox One X can't hold back Sony's system
Just goes to show what we know, eh? We predicted that the PlayStation 4 would be the “worst” selling console in November 2017, drowned out by the Nintendo Switch and the Xbox One X launch. In actual fact, it enjoyed its best month in the United States ever, topping even November 2013, when the...
News October 2017 NPD: PS4 Is Still the Best Selling System of the Year
Middle-earth: Shadow of War conquers all
Despite increasingly intense competition, the PlayStation 4 remains the best-selling console in the United States year-to-date – but it’s going to be clinging on by its fingernails as we sprint towards the business end of the year. Nintendo Switch was the top platform once again for the month of October,...
News Microtransactions Aren't Stopping Big Games From Selling Well, Says NPD
Loot boxed
The conversation surrounding microtransactions has really heated up over the last few months. With recent heavy hitters such as Destiny 2 and Middle-earth: Shadow of War receiving a fair bit of criticism for the inclusion of in-game purchases, the topic's been covered by just about everyone in the media, ourselves included. But for all...
News September 2017 NPD: PS4 Leads Consumer Spend as Destiny 2 Outshoots All
Bungie jump
It’s not particularly trendy to talk about PlayStation 4 hardware sales as it continues its comfortable march to 100 million units, but even though the Nintendo Switch is starting to exert some authority on the NPD, it’s perhaps worth reiterating that Sony’s system is still faring very well as it nears its fourth birthday...
News Grand Theft Auto V Is The Best-Selling Game of All Time
In the US, anyway
Grand Theft Auto V is the best-selling game of all time, according to American sales tracking organisation NPD. Now there are some caveats here: this only applies to the United States, so there may be titles that have historically performed better – though it’s perhaps worth noting that Rockstar’s opus finished second in...
News August 2017 NPD: Uncharted Starts Strong, But PS4 Can't Topple Switch
Not bad for a spin-off
Standalone spin-off Uncharted: The Lost Legacy debuted third in the United States sales charts for August 2017 – an impressive result considering many scored the title for free as part of Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End’s season pass. The side-story was beaten by Madden NFL 18 and a resurgent Grand Theft Auto V, though it’s...
News July 2017 NPD: Nintendo Switch Stops PS4 Party
But systems were apparently neck and neck
Nintendo managed to put enough Switch stock on American shelves to halt the PlayStation 4’s mini-winning streak, but both systems did well by all accounts. Leaked numbers put the platforms neck and neck, and Sony’s console is actually up year-over-year, which is a surprise. Considering that the device is...
News June 2017 NPD: PS4 Enjoys Best June Since Launch
Tekken 7 tops, Crash Bandicoot hits
The PlayStation 4 may be knee-deep into its fourth year, but it’s showing no signs of slowing – in fact, it’s actually performing better than in previous years. Sony’s console topped the United States hardware charts for a second successive month, registering its strongest June on record since release...
News May 2017 NPD: Nintendo Switch Stock Shortages Open the Door for PS4
Injustice 2 leads software chart
After being overthrown by the Nintendo Switch for a couple of months, stock shortages have opened the door and allowed the PlayStation 4 to reclaim its crown at the summit of the United States hardware charts. May 2017 wasn’t a brilliant month for the games industry, as overall spend dropped 11 per cent, though...
News April 2017 NPD: Persona 5 Proves JRPGs Still Have Pulling Power
Atlus title debuts second in USA charts
You know how these NPD sales charts work by now, right? Typically the uber-mainstream titles all move to the top, while the more core gamer franchises secure a token appearance towards the bottom. Except that hasn’t really happened this time: Persona 5 finished second in April 2017. This is an...
News March 2017 NPD: Two PS4 Exclusives in Top Five Spots
Horizon: Zero Dawn and MLB The Show 17 start strong
United States sales tracking firm NPD has changed its public data release format yet again this month, revealing the top 20 best-selling titles in America for March – with some digital included. You may recall that the organisation already announced hardware results, with the Nintendo Switch's...
News PS4's Run Halted by Nintendo Switch Launch in March NPD
But Sony's system stays strong
As expected, the launch of the Nintendo Switch has (temporarily?) dethroned the PlayStation 4 from the top of the United States hardware charts. Sony's system had been sitting pretty for several months in a row, but it was never going to overcome the release of its rival's new handheld-cum-console, which performed...
News February 2017 NPD: For Honor Ascends as Nioh Stabs Top Ten
But industry declines persist
You've got to give credit to Ubisoft: it may not make games that get NeoGAF giddy, but it sure knows the market well. For Honor has climbed straight to the top of NPD charts in the United States for the month of February, with Ghost Recon: Wildlands surely the frontrunner to pull the same party trick in March's report...
News Surprise! PS4 Wins the February NPD Report
Of course
Stop us if you've heard this one before: the PlayStation 4 won the February 2017 NPD sales report. This means that Sony's system has been the best-selling console in the United States fourth months in a row now, though its winning streak will come to an end in March due to the release of the Nintendo Switch. The PlayStation maker doesn't...
News January 2017 NPD: Resident Evil 7, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Chart
But hardware revenue takes a hit
Resident Evil 7 topped the NPD sales charts in January 2017, though hardware declined during the tracked period again. Consumers spent $610.7 million on gaming goods in the United States throughout the month, down four per cent compared to the same period the year prior. Software did lift significantly, so reduced...
News PS4 Was January's Best Selling Console in the United States
Ain't no stopping this train
With a lineup including Yakuza 0 and Resident Evil 7 (among others), it's no surprise that the PlayStation 4 was the best selling console in the United States during January. According to the latest NPD report, Sony's system continued its good run, outpacing the competition yet again during the first month of 2017. No...
News PS4 Wins the All-Important December NPD
Not a massive surprise
After a handful of months losing out to the Xbox One in the NPD, the PlayStation 4 has restored normal order, by winning the all-important December report. To be honest, this shouldn't come as a massive surprise considering the ridiculous numbers that Sony posted over the holiday period, but there was a chance that Microsoft...
News November 2016 NPD: PS4 on Top as Call of Duty Targets Number One
CoD and flops
As reported earlier in the month, the PlayStation 4 won the November 2016 NPD report, breaking a four month Xbox One streak. The console – which was buoyed by its best Black Friday ever and the launch of the PS4 Pro – has now surpassed 50 million units globally, and is on track to bloat that figure further through the...
News PS4 Breaks Xbox One Streak with November NPD Win
Back on top
And just like that, normal service has been resumed. Microsoft had started to slowly chip away at the PlayStation 4's sizeable lead in the United States with a handful of minor victories, but on the back of Sony's 50 million unit milestone announcement, the platform holder has now confirmed that it's won the all-important November NPD...
News PS4 Slumps to Third Successive NPD Defeat
Choppy waters
Batten the hatches, spit in Shawn Layden's face, and curse Kaz Hirai's complacency: Sony failed to defeat the Xbox One in the September NPD, meaning that's three times in a row now that the PlayStation 4 has not been the best-selling system in the United States. We suppose after three straight years on top, it had to give everyone...
News August 2016 NPD: Madden NFL 17, No Man's Sky Top Software Charts
Hello, games
Oh look, it's the NPD report. You may have noticed that we skipped coverage of this over the past couple of months. Apologies for that, but the NPD has changed the way it makes this information available. We used to get platform ordering for software sales and all sorts of other intel, but that can only be accessed by paying members...
News Narrow Margins Force PS4 from Top of US Hardware Charts for First Time in 2016
You win some, you lose some
Outrageously attractive Xbox One fire sales pushed the PlayStation 4 from the top of the US hardware charts for the first time in eight months last month – although speculation suggests that Sony's system was just 10,000 units off the pace. Microsoft's console was widely available for considerably less than the Japanese...
News PS4 Was USA's Best Selling Box for the Eighth Month Running in June
View from the top
The latest NPD report has been delayed while digital data is added to the tracking, but it has been confirmed that the PlayStation 4 was the best selling console for June 2016. This is the eighth month in a row now that Sony's system has been on top, with Halo 5 being the last game to cause a temporary upset all the way back in...
News May 2016 NPD: Uncharted 4 Helps US Industry Swing Upwards
No comment from Sony again
After April 2016's desperately dire NPD report, the US industry has rebounded in May, with total physical spend up four per cent year-over-year – raking in a handsome $528.6 million. While hardware and accessories declined yet again (by 10 per cent and two per cent respectively), it was software that propelled the...
News PS4 Was the Best Selling Console in the US Last Month
Confirmation at last
Sony refrained from releasing its usual self-fellating PR statement following last night's NPD report, leading many – ourselves included – to assume that the PlayStation 4 had failed to secure a seventh successive spell at the top of the US hardware charts. However, it's since confirmed to IGN that its new-gen system was...
