Xbox 360 tops US console sales again
updated 10:55 pm EDT, Thu September 9, 2010
Xbox holds lead over DS again in August
Microsoft managed to repeat its rare lead in console sales again in August as it outsold Nintendo's DS in the US, according to NPD data for the month. The slim Xbox and its new Arcade counterpart moved 356,700 systems last month where the DS fell well behind, at 342,700 systems. The gap was widened partly by Madden NFL 11, which sold over 920,000 copies just on the Xbox 360; the best-selling game for a Nintendo system, Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Wii, only sold 124,600 copies.
Nintendo's Wii lost ground as well at 244,300. Sony continued its slow but consistent climb upwards in PS3 sales, reaching 226,000 systems, but its anti-Apple PSP ads had little effect as sales kept dwindling, down slightly to 79,400.
Despite Microsoft's win, NPD researchers warned the whole console gaming industry made 10 percent less revenue compared to August last year, most of which was owed to a 14 percent drop in software while hardware slipped by five percent.
The lead is likely to repeat itself in September, since the launch of Halo: Reach and its matching special edition Xbox 360 should give a boost to Microsoft. Sony should also get an uptick from the PlayStation Move debut, but Nintendo has only its Wii bundles and Metroid: Other M as its highlights. The 3DS won't even have a ship date before September 29 and might not make the holidays for the US.
