After a July bump, videogame sales in August returned to double-digit declines compared to the previous year, with software leading the drop, though hardware continued its cyclical downturn.
Sales fell 18% overall to $666M, according to NPD Group. Hardware sales fell 22%, to $167M, but software dropped by 24%, to $257M. Accessories and game cards dropped 6%, to $242M.
Year-to-date, overall videogame spending is now down 6% vs. 2018, to $7B, with hardware the main cause.
Nintendo Switch (OTCPK:NTDOY) is again the best-selling hardware platform, and the year-to-date leader. It’s also the only platform with sales gains for August and for 2019, analyst Mat Piscatella notes.
In software, Madden NFL 20 (NASDAQ:EA) repeated atop the dollar sales chart; the Madden NFL entry has led August for seven years straight, but this year also led July with an early release. It came in ahead of Minecraft, an all-time high spot for that game, and No. 3 game Grand Theft Auto V (NASDAQ:TTWO), a perennial best-seller.
Rounding out the software top 10: No. 4, Fire Emblem: Three Houses (OTCPK:NTDOY); No. 5, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (OTCPK:NTDOY); No. 6, Super Mario Maker 2 (OTCPK:NTDOY); No. 7, Mario Kart 8 (OTCPK:NTDOY); No. 8, Mortal Kombat 11 (NYSE:T); No. 9, Tom Clancy’s Rainbox Six: Siege (OTCPK:UBSFY); and No. 10, Astral Chain (OTCPK:NTDOY).
Related tickers: OTCPK:NTDOY, SNE, MSFT, EA, ATVI, TTWO, T, OTCPK:UBSFY, OTC:NCBDY, OTCPK:SQNNY, OTCPK:CCOEY, OTCPK:SGAMY. Retail stock: GME.
