A Nintendo press release shows that Wii sales haven't slowed down one bit and portrays a software chart dominated by games from Nintendo systems. http://nintendoworldreport.com/newsArt.cfm?artid=15969 The Wii and DS won't be stopped. Nintendo's press release regarding the April NPD sales numbers for the United States claims that Nintendo's two systems reigned at the top of the list, and that that six of the top ten games for the month were for Nintendo systems.
Nintendo states that the Wii sold an incredible 714,000 units in April, almost as much as the 721,000 it sold in March. Nintendo didn't provide exact DS hardware sales, but they did claim that their handheld system had earned them the number two spot as well in hardware sales.
The surge in Wii supply may have been timed to Nintendo's release of Mario Kart Wii, which released last month and sold more than 1.1 million units during the reporting period. Nintendo claimed it as the second highest selling title of the month. Five other games for Nintendo systems placed in the top 10 software sales data, including Wii Play, Super Smash Brothers Brawl, the two Pokemon Mystery Dungeon titles, and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. Brawl sales in the US were revealed to have crossed 3 million units.
With the American launch of WiiFit coming this month, Nintendo should see strong May sales as well considering the success of the title in both Europe and Japan.
Stay tuned for NWR's detailed breakdown of the NPD March sales data.
NINTENDO'S WII SITS ATOP APRIL U.S. SALES
May 15, 2008
Wii™ emerged as the top-selling console in April, according to the independent NPD Group, which tracks U.S. video game sales. Wii sold more than 714,000 units in April alone, bringing its lifetime sales in the United States to more than 9.5 million.
“Wii sales were buoyed in part by the strong launch of Mario Kart Wii, which sold more than 1.1 million units,” said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America’s executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. “Our belief in appealing to a broad, diverse audience of players continues to resonate with consumers, and we look forward to continuing our outreach to an expanded audience with the launch of Wii Fit next week.”
Other Nintendo highlights from April’s NPD report include:
* Mario Kart® Wii finished as the No. 2 game of the month.
* Six of the top 10 games of the month are for Nintendo systems: Mario Kart Wii (No. 2), Wii Play™ (No. 4), Super Smash Bros.® Brawl (No. 5), Pokémon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness (No. 7), Pokémon® Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time (No. and Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (No. 9).
* Super Smash Bros. Brawl crossed the 3 million sales mark in the United States.
* Wii and Nintendo DS™ again finished as the two top-selling hardware systems.