Software and console sales tumble 19% in the US

New York: Sales of video games and consoles in the US fell 19 per cent in October, putting the industry on pace to post a decline for 2009.

Console sales crashed 23 per cent to $380.7 million (Dh1.39 billion) last month, from last year's $497 million. Game software sales fell 18 per cent to $572.7 million, down from $698.4 million a year ago. The grim numbers represents the seventh monthly decline in US video game sales.

"You're seeing the effects of the recession," said Michael Pachter, analyst with Wedbush Morgan Securities, who two weeks ago predicted that US game sales would be down 5 per cent this year.

If October is any indication, the industry may be headed for a difficult holiday, when game companies typically rack up as much as 40 per cent of their sales.

Holiday sales

With the anticipated dip in holiday sales, "the industry is on track to generate full-year revenues in the range of $20 billion to $21 billion in the US, which would put it just below last year's sales of $21.3 billion," said NPD analyst, Anita Frazier.

Sales of music-based games, such as ‘The Beatles: Rock Band' and ‘Guitar Hero 5,' have also lagged, Pachter said.

While mainstream players — the heroes of last year's soaring sales — are missing in action this year, so-called hard-core gamers seem to be coming to the rescue.

Many came out in force and stood in line for hours Monday night to get their hands on ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2' the moment it was released at midnight.