NPD released video game software sales numbers for 2008 earlier this year, and at the time, it was noted that the gaming industry was seeing a surge that ran counter to the economic climate. The surge centered in the U.S. and U.K with casual gaming titles becoming a driving force behind growing sales. In January, the trend continued, with Nintendo's Wii Fit title leading the charge with 777,000 units sold.
February data is showing another robust performance, with the Wii Fit title remaining in first place with 644,000 units sold in the United States. Nintendo continues to have the top-selling console and handheld gaming systems as well with the Wii and Nintendo DS units.
But Nintendo didn't completely dominate the game rankings. Coming in at both second and third on the list were the Xbox 360 and PS3 editions of the title Street Fighter IV, released midway through the month.
NPD analyst Anita Frazier notes:
"A long-established video game franchise, the Street Fighter property continues to generate impressive sales results. The great performance of the new title, Street Fighter IV, on both the PS3 and Xbox 360, is a testament to the power of carefully cultivating evergreen properties.
"March should be another great month for software sales between Pokemon Platinum, GTA: Chinatown Wars, Halo Wars, the two MLB titles and of course, Resident Evil 5, just to name a few of the key drivers. The sheer quantity of great content coming to market early in the year should keep industry sales humming throughout 2009."
Total U.S. game sales for February were up 14 percent over the same period last year, even though economic indicators are worse. With unemployment up and consumers cutting back on large-ticket spending, gaming appears to be a form of entertainment on which consumers are still willing to spend money.
Street Fighter IV image via Capcom.
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