Tools:

Video Games are Nothing to Cry Over

Four-month Stats Show Accelerated Growth

“Video games … continue to defy the overall economic drag on consumption … ”

May 23 – Analysts have been crying “woe is me” all week, looking at the April numbers for video games from the NPD Group and lamenting that the end is nigh. Yes, monthly sales and year-over-year growth percentages for April were lower than those for March, but remember that this year, Easter fell in March.

The fact is, growth is still accelerating. The acceleration applies to hardware in units as well as for the hardware, software and accessories categories in dollars.

This graph accounts for sales of hardware in 1000 units — first for April in isolation and then for the four months cumulatively [source: NPD]:





Both show Sony’s PS2 beginning to decline, and April shows the first decline of the Nintendo DS. But overall, hardware is continuing to charge ahead.

The next graph is in millions of dollars for the three categories, for the four months cumulatively [source: NPD]:



The following graph shows the cumulative percentage growth in dollars per category, demonstrating that growth is still accelerating, albeit on a flattening curve as I predicted [source: NPD]:



In short, video games in all three categories continue to defy the overall economic drag on consumption, and there are no signs of this trend abating. This statement is not only based on NPD numbers but also on feedback from buyers as well as sell-through data from my retailer panel.

Writer's Bio: Lutz Muller is a Swiss who has lived on five continents. In  the United States, he was the CEO for four manufacturing companies, including two in the toy industry. Since 2002, he has provided competitive intelligence on the toy and video game market to manufacturers and financial institutions coast-to-coast. He gets his information from his retailer panel, from big-box buyers and his many friends in the industry. If anything happens, he is usually the first to know. Read more on his website at www.klosterstrading.com. Read more articles by this author

Back to TDmonthly's front page

Advertise on TDmonthly

Related Products Hello Kitty and Friends 8" Plush with Chocolate Covered Strawberry - Off... By Jazwares » More Information Jazwares Hello Kitty and Friends, Kuromi Series 1 Plush - Hoodie Fashion... By Jazwares » More Information Jazwares Hello Kitty and Friends, 12” Claw Machine with 8 Collectible Mi... By Jazwares » More Information

Related Articles · Celebrate the new year and ring in 2022 at Universal Studios Hollywood’s festive EVE event (12/1/2021) · Genius Brands Appoints Never Wrong Toys as Global Master Toy Partner for Hit Animated Series “Rainbo (6/1/2021) · The NPD Group: First Quarter 2021 U.S. Consumer Spending on Video Game Products Increased 30% (5/1/2021) · Ryan Sheckler, the professional skateboarder, has faced a rollercoaster of challenges (11/8/2023) · Mattel -- Outlook (5/4/2025) · Toys to Talk About: Sports (1/1/2016)

Also See · Toys In The News 09/01/2025 (9/1/2025) · Toy industry and children's new trends In The News 09/01/2025 (9/1/2025) · Outdated Parenting Models 09/01/2025 (9/1/2025) · Children's Health In The News 09/01/2025 (9/1/2025) · Board Games In The News 09/01/2025 (9/1/2025) · DJI Showcases Advanced Drones, Power Systems, Workshops at IFA 2025 (9/1/2025)