After two years of double-digit growth, sales of video games have slowed down. According to NPD market research, sales have slowed from 28% growth in July to only 9% growth in August. Sales in the video game industry will always be dependent on the titles released and the biggest seller in August was Electronic Arts' NFL Madden 09. That title has not been exempt from the growth slowdown as it sold only 2% more units than last year's edition of the game. Up to this point, the games industry has been doing a good job at bucking the overall slowing market trend but there are now signs that the video game industry is not isolated from the rest of the economy.
As we enter the 4th quarter and the holiday season, new titles will likely spur a resumption of growth. Nintendo increased Wii production in July to cope with shortages and, while that action did not come in time to affect August sales, it will make a difference for the holiday season. Microsoft has also just recently cut prices of the Xbox 360 and the entry level model is now less expensive than the Nintendo Wii. This will likely boost September sales.
As we enter the 4th quarter and the holiday season, new titles will likely spur a resumption of growth. Nintendo increased Wii production in July to cope with shortages and, while that action did not come in time to affect August sales, it will make a difference for the holiday season. Microsoft has also just recently cut prices of the Xbox 360 and the entry level model is now less expensive than the Nintendo Wii. This will likely boost September sales.
You only have to worry when it starts to decline.
That being said, I've "blown" too much on 360 games that royally suck and just prefer to rent them for $8 at the video store.
cause that's WAY to much just to try out a game... especially if the game might not be good.
the most i would feel comfortable renting a game is 5 dollars max... although 3 dollars is about my standards and reasonable for a day's rental or so.
I tried that too. Gamefly kept losing the games and saying I did it.
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