The Xbox One and PlayStation four era is ending. That shift is exhibiting up in software program gross sales, as you may see in The NPD Group’s software program report for Might 2019 proper right here. However in fact, that additionally means fewer individuals are shopping for new consoles now that customers have had almost six years to buy a system.
Particularly, the Xbox One and PlayStation four are beginning to drag down comparisons to 2018. That is regardless of sturdy gross sales for the Nintendo Change, which continues to do higher year-over-year. Change outsold its older competitors in Might each by way of items and {dollars}.
“{Hardware} spending in Might 2019 fell 20% when in comparison with a yr in the past, to $149 million,” NPD analyst Mat Piscatella mentioned. “Nintendo Change gross sales development was offset by declines throughout all different {hardware} platforms.”
This isn’t only a blip for Might. By way of the tip of final month, {hardware} gross sales have generated $1.1 billion. That’s down 17 % when evaluating 2019 year-to-date to the identical interval in 2018.
“As with the month of Might, Nintendo Change gross sales development was offset by declines throughout all different {hardware} platforms,” mentioned Piscatella.
Equipment
For non-console {hardware}, the business is holding regular.
“Complete Might 2019 spending on equipment and sport playing cards was flat when in comparison with a yr in the past, at $230 million,” mentioned Piscatella. “12 months-to-date gross sales of equipment and sport playing cards have elevated three % to $1.four billion when in comparison with a yr in the past.”
PS4’s commonplace black DualShock four was the top-selling accent for the month. It additionally holds the highest spot for all of 2019 to date.
Whereas accent and sport playing cards are usually not rising, they’re nonetheless doing exceptionally nicely. These classes have seen main will increase during the last couple of years. Free-to-play video games are promoting extra microtransactions that some folks purchase by buying sport playing cards for money at shops. And video games like Fortnite, Apex Legends, and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds are engaging gamers to spend extra on headsets for communication and even new gamepads.
