The latest NPD Group sales figures for the US market are in, and it's not looking too great for Nintendo. 3DS and Wii sales took a big hit in April, while monthly units for Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation 3 were on the up.
The Nintendo 3DS in particular sold 194,000 units throughout the entirety of April, which is a far cry from its first-week sales, where it managed just under 400,000. The Wii shifted 172,000 units in April, a 38% drop from the same month last year and more than 40% from March.
In contrast, the Xbox 360 saw sales of 297,000, an annual increase of 60%. The PS3 saw a more incremental boost of 13% from last year, as it sells 204,000 units in April. MarketWatch reports that both consoles were down compared to March figures though - the PS3 being worst off with a 44% drop.
While it may seem all doom and gloom for Nintendo, bear in mind that the Wii and 3DS figures are still very competitive compared to the competition. It doesn't escape the rather dramatic drop in sales on its own part, but it's probably too early to declare a premature death.
Nintendo has publically stated that it could have done more with the Wii to attract core gamers, while it was apparent that the 3DS was launched well in advance of a solid launch lineup. The upcoming unveiling of Nintendo's new console, codenamed Project Cafe, is expected to be a factor in the Wii sales figures.
Source: MarketWatch
The Nintendo 3DS in particular sold 194,000 units throughout the entirety of April, which is a far cry from its first-week sales, where it managed just under 400,000. The Wii shifted 172,000 units in April, a 38% drop from the same month last year and more than 40% from March.
In contrast, the Xbox 360 saw sales of 297,000, an annual increase of 60%. The PS3 saw a more incremental boost of 13% from last year, as it sells 204,000 units in April. MarketWatch reports that both consoles were down compared to March figures though - the PS3 being worst off with a 44% drop.
While it may seem all doom and gloom for Nintendo, bear in mind that the Wii and 3DS figures are still very competitive compared to the competition. It doesn't escape the rather dramatic drop in sales on its own part, but it's probably too early to declare a premature death.
Nintendo has publically stated that it could have done more with the Wii to attract core gamers, while it was apparent that the 3DS was launched well in advance of a solid launch lineup. The upcoming unveiling of Nintendo's new console, codenamed Project Cafe, is expected to be a factor in the Wii sales figures.
Source: MarketWatch
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