The US video game industry continued to prosper in June, boasting total sales of $1.69 billion, 53% higher than June 2007. Hardware was up 54% at $615.1 million while software also experienced a bumper month with $872.6 million.

NPD analyst Anita Frazier commented “The video games industry continues to perform in the face of an ever-increasingly difficult economic environment as many turn to more in-home entertainment. Even if growth slows over the back half of 2008, the industry is poised to achieve record-breaking revenues of over $22B for the year.”

The Nintendo DS was the best-selling console in the US for the month of June, selling 783 000 units and placing it well ahead of the Wii in second place with 666 700 units.

“The Wii has taken the lead in total sales of current generation console hardware at 10.9 million units sold at retail life-to-date in the U.S,” according to Frazier. “The 360 platform has driven the greatest number of hardware purchases this generation, with just under 8 software units purchased for each unit of hardware, on average.”

The PS3 finished the race third with an impressive 405 500 units, almost double that of the Xbox 360 in fifth place with 219 800 units. The boost in PS3 sales was thanks to the PS3 exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4 which topped the software chart with 774 600 copies. The PSP sold 337 400 units and the PS2 188 800.

Frazier commented “Platform-exclusive content usually fuels hardware system purchases, and PS3 sales certainly reflect the impact of Metal Gear Solid 4. PS3 unit sales were the highest of any month outside of that recorded during previous November/December holiday timeframes.”

“As expected, Metal Gear Solid 4 realized significant retail sales and drove PS3 hardware acquisition. While the attached media report does not include units bundled with hardware, if included MGS4 sold-through nearly 1 million units.”

Activision’s Guitar Hero: On Tour for the Nintendo DS sold 422 300 copies to secure second place on the software chart followed by Microsoft’s Ninja Gaiden II for the Xbox 360 with 372 700 copies. Nintendo took the next two places, Wii Fit at number 4 with 372 700 copies followed by Wii Play with 359 100 copies.

EA’s Battlefield: Bad Company for the Xbox 360 came in sixth with 346 800 copies and Mario Kart Wii at number 7 with 322 400 copies. LucasArts’ Lego Indiana Jones dominated the final three positions with the Wii version shifting 294 500 copies, the DS version 267 800 and the PS2 rounded off the Top 10 with 260 300 copies.

If you missed it, make sure you check out the NPD results for May.

Hardware Sales for June 2008

1. Nintendo DS – 783 000
2. Wii – 666 700
3. PS3 – 405 500
4. PSP – 337 400
5. Xbox 360 – 219 800
6. PS2 – 188 800

Top Ten Software Sales for June 2008

1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriot (Konami, PS3) – 774 600
2. Guitar Hero: On Tour (Activision, DS) – 422 300
3. Ninja Gaiden II (Microsoft, Xbox 360) – 372 700
4. Wii Fit with Balance Board (Nintendo, Wii) – 372 700
5. Wii Play with Wii Remote (Nintendo, Wii) – 359 100
6. Battlefield: Bad Company (EA, Xbox 360) – 346 800
7. Mario Kart Wii with Wii Wheel (Nintendo, Wii) – 322 400
8. Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (LucasArts, Wii) – 294 500
9. Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (LucasArts, DS) – 267 800
10. Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures (LucasArts, PS2) – 260 300

Figures include Collector’s Editions and instrument bundles but do not include hardware bundles.

US Game Industry Totals for June 2008

Below is a list of the category, followed by the total and the change in brackets.

• Video games - $1.69 billion (+53%)
• Video games hardware - $615.1 million (+54%)
• Video games software - $872.6 million (+61%)
• Video game accessories - $202 million (+25%)

Source: NPD