NPD Feb: Decade-High Hardware Spending Led by Strong Switch Sales

3 years 1 month ago
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The NPD Group’s monthly report on spending across the US video game market is out for February, and yet again new records have been set. Specifically, the $4.5 billion total is 35 percent higher year-on-year, with year-to-date spending already 39 percent higher than in 2020 at $9.3 billion.

That’s according to The NPD Group’s Mat Piscatella, who was on hand as usual with a breakdown via his Twitter page.

NPD

Listed below is a copy of Piscatella’s analysis, which offers commentary on key takeaways across each industry segment.

Hardware

  • Monthly sales of video game hardware increased 121% when compared to February 2020, to $406M. This is the highest total for a February month since the $468M reached in February 2011. YTD HW spending totaled $725M, an increase of 130% compared to a year ago.
  • Nintendo Switch was the best-selling hardware platform in both units and dollars in February. Unit and dollar sales of Nintendo Switch hardware in February were the highest for any hardware platform in a February month since the Nintendo Wii in Feburary 2009.
  • Total lifetime dollar sales of Switch hardware now exceed the Nintendo DS, making Switch Nintendo’s 2nd best-selling platform in U.S. tracked history (Nintendo Wii ranks first). Switch is currently the 7th best-selling hardware platform in lifetime U.S. dollar sales.
  • PlayStation 5 ranked as the 2nd best-selling hardware platform in February in both unit and dollar sales. PlayStation 5 is currently the fastest-selling hardware platform in U.S. history (total dollar sales after 4 months in market).

Software

  • Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury debuts as the best-selling game of February. The title also ranks as the 2nd best-selling game of 2021 year-to-date, despite the lack of digital sales tracking for Nintendo published titles.
  • Little Nighmares II launched as the 6th best-selling game of February. Little Nightmares II ranked as the 5th best-selling game on Xbox platforms, while placing 10th on PlayStation.

Accessories

  • Spending on video game accessories totaled $195 million in February 2021, 41 percent higher when compared to a year ago. The Gamepad, Headset/Headphone and Steering Wheel segments all achieved new February dollar sales records.
  • The PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller White led all accessories in dollar sales for the month of February, as well as 2021 year-to-date.

Below you can find Piscatella’s lists of best-selling software for the year so far, both across all platforms and individually:

Author
Alex Gibson

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