Sales tracking and research firm The NPD Group recently released its latest monthly report regarding the performance of the US videogame industry, this time for the month of August 2011, revealing that sales across all segments of the market (hardware, software and accessories) were down compared to August 2010, with overall sales dropping by a whopping 23% to $669.9 million in revenue.

This is explained, says NPD’s Anita Frazier, by the change in release month for this year’s edition of the traditionally sales heavy Madden NFL game, which didn’t contribute to August’s sales report but will instead be included next month.

Year-to-date industry performance is down 5%, and Frazier says that “more than half of industry sales” will need to be made up in the last four months of 2011 in order to achieve parity with overall industry sales recorded in 2010.

“Given the strong release schedule in the coming months,” says Frazier, “new physical retail sales could still be flat to slightly up once full year sales are tallied.”

August 2011 Software Sales

Software sales in the US during August dropped by 34% compared to the same month last year, down to $264.8 million. The top-selling game this month was Deus Ex: Human Revolution, which managed the feat with only five days on sale, racking up 244 000 units sold.

NCAA Football 12 was second on the software sales list with 240 400 units sold, followed by Call of Duty: Black Ops, Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension and Cars 2, making up the top five.

Frazier notes that, despite a release in July, sales of Just Dance: Summer Dance Party increased in August to allow the game to occupy No. 6 on the chart, despite missing the Top Ten during its month of release.

Here’s the full Top Ten list:

August 2011 Software Sales Chart

• 1.) Deus Ex: Human Revolution (360, PS3, PC) - Square Enix – 244 000
• 2.) NCAA Football 12 (360, PS3) - Electronic Arts – 240 400
• 3.) Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, NDS, Wii, PC) - Activision Blizzard
• 4.) Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension (NDS, Wii, PS3) - Disney Interactive Studios
• 5.) Cars 2 (NDS, Wii, 360, PS3, PC) - Disney Interactive Studios
• 6.) Just Dance Summer Party (Wii) - Ubisoft
• 7.) Just Dance 2 (Wii) - Ubisoft
• 8.) Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game (Wii, 360, NDS, PS3, 3DS, PSP, PC) - Disney Interactive Studios
• 9.) The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS) - Nintendo
• 10.) Zumba Fitness: Join the Party (Wii, 360, PS3) - Majesco

(Note: Includes new physical retail only, across all platforms including PC)

August 2011 Hardware Sales

Hardware sales in the US during August also fell, this time by 12% compared to August 2010, down to $249.4 million.

According to Frazier, all platforms (with 3DS and DS combined as one platform) “saw unit sales increases over July.” Naturally, the recent 3DS price cut helped that handheld to a more impressive 235 000 units sold this past month. Similarly, the PS3 price cut positively affected that console’s sales, but Xbox 360 still rules the roost with 308 000 units at the top of the sales listing.

Here’s the list of console sales figures for August 2011 in the US:

August 2011 Hardware Sales Chart

• Xbox 360: 308 000 (-13.7%)
• Nintendo 3DS: 235 000
• PlayStation 3: 218 000 (-3.5%)
• Wii: 190 000 (-22.2%)
• Nintendo DS: 165 000 (-51.9%)

August 2011 Videogame Industry Sales Totals

July 31st 2011 through August 27th 2011

• August 2011 Videogame Sales - $669.9 million (-23%)
• August 2011 Videogame Hardware Sales - $249.4 million (-12%)
• August 2011 Videogame Software Sales - $264.8 million (-24%)
• August 2011 Videogame Accessories Sales - $134.7 million (-1%)

Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony have each since responded to NPD results for August - read over their messages over here.

Source: NPD