- Videogame sales fell 11% in October, just ahead of the crucial holiday season, but with year-to-date software sales still higher and the Nintendo (OTCPK:NTDOY) Switch still pacing growing hardware sales.
- Overall sales dropped to $825M, according to NPD Group. Hardware sales grew 10% to $238M. Software sales slipped 20% to $474M facing a tough comp with last year's release of Battlefield 1 (console/portable down 20% to $447M; PC game software down 29% to $27M). Accessories declined 7% to $113M.
- Middle Earth: Shadow of War (NYSE:TWX) topped the dollar-sales chart for software, while high-stakes Super Mario Odyssey (OTCPK:NTDOY) came in third. Those two sandwiched the No. 2 entry, Assassin's Creed: Origins (OTCPK:UBSFY), one of two top-four software titles for Ubisoft (South Park: The Fractured But Whole came in at No. 4).
- Rounding out the software top 10: No. 5, NBA 2K18 (NASDAQ:TTWO); No. 6, FIFA 18 (NASDAQ:EA); No. 7, WWE 2K18 (TTWO); No. 8, Madden NFL 18 (EA); No. 9, Destiny 2 (NASDAQ:ATVI); and No. 10, Forza Motorsport 7 (NASDAQ:MSFT).
- Hardware growth was again driven by the Nintendo Switch (the month's best-selling platform) and SNES Classic Edition; PlayStation 4 (NYSE:SNE) remains the YTD best-selling hardware platform. Nintendo shares rose 4.3% in the regular U.S. session.
- After hours: TWX +0.5%; TTWO +0.1%; EA flat; ATVI +0.3%; MSFT +0.1%; SNE -0.2%.
- ETF: GAMR
- Now read: Take-Two Interactive: Better Late Than Never
Original article