Report: U.S. Video Game Sales Down 15% in February

Port Washington, N.Y. – U.S.
video game sales were down 15% in February, the second straight month of
decline, to $1.26 billion, according to sales data compiled by market research
firm NPD Group. "Honestly, I had expected the industry to perform somewhat
better this month," remarked NPD analyst Anita Frazier. "Nonetheless,
strong new releases, and Easter gift-buying bodes well for industry performance
in March."

Game hardware sales took the biggest hit, down 20%
year-over-year, to $426,4 million.

Microsoft’s (NASD:  MSFT) Xbox 360 led the race for the
first time since September 2007, with sales of 422,000 units, besting Nintendo’s
397,900 Wii sales and the 360,100 PlayStation 3 units sold by Sony (NYSE:  SNE).

In the
handheld race, Nintendo’s DS sold 613,200 units, compared to the Sony PSP’s
133,400 units.

Video game software sales declined 15% in February, to $624.4
million.

The top-selling game during the month was Take-Two Interactive’s (NASD:  TTWO)
"BioShock 2" (562,900 units).

Nintendo’s "New Super Mario Bros.
Wii" took second (555,600 units); other titles in the top ten included Activision’s (NASD:  ATVI)
"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2"; Ubisoft’s "Just Dance"; and
Electronic Arts’ (NASD:  ERTS) "Mass Effect 2" and "Dante’s Inferno."

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