U.S. Video Game Sales Up 15.5% in April

kukyfrope writes "According to The NPD Group, game sales are up 15.5% for April 2006 thanks to strong PS2 sales, Xbox 360 availability and the release of popular titles such as Kingdom Hearts II, Oblivion and Tomb Raider: Legend. GameDaily BIZ talks in-depth with analysts Michael Pachter (WMS) and Anita Frazier (NPD) on the current trends of the industry and whether this last month was just a fluke or an upswing for the industry. 'We are completely baffled by the sales trend reversal for current generation software,' said Pachter."

Comments

It's so weird

[cdogbert]

Every time a string of quality games are released that a lot of people like, sales go up! It's baffling!

I dunno

[UES]

"'We are completely baffled by the sales trend reversal for current generation software,' said Pachter."

Yeah, it's a real question for the ages

LOWER PRICE POINT FOR CURRENT GEN

why are so many people in such a rush to buy games lately?

LOWER PRICE POINT FOR CURRENT GEN

Surely the greatest minds in the country should attach this vast problem.

LOWER PRICE POINT FOR CURRENT GEN

If only there was some kind of economic analysis possible, perhaps some kind of law of supply and/or demand that says what happens when demand is high and prices come down.

Re:Xbox 360

[Erwos]

They're outselling the PS2 by 50% - surely, that shouldn't be described as "barely outselling".

As for the low number compared to what we expected, I suspect it's because the supply channel problems were only resolved near the middle of April. There's no serious evidence that there are piles of 360s in shops everywhere - indeed, someone recently mentioned that it was only last week that Newegg was even able to get any.

There's no hard proof that this is sustainable, but after Sony's poor E3 showing, I suspect 360 sales will be even stronger in May. But that's only my opinion...

-Erwos