The latest NPD numbers for October 2011 have been released and the Xbox 360 continues to be the sales leader in the game console market for 16 out of the last 17 months. It also turns out this was the best October on record for the Xbox 360.
The Xbox is a very a mature product and has been aided by the popularity of Kinect. The device was announced a year ago, and Microsoft said it had sold 10 million units by March. The Xbox is also home of six of the top ten console games in October. Those titles include Battlefield 3, Batman: Arkham City, NBA 2K12, Rage and Xbox 360 exclusives Forza Motorsport 4 and Gears of War 3.
October 2011 highlights from The NPD Group, an independent market research firm that tracks the digital entertainment industry, include:
· Holding 44 percent share of the overall current-generation console market, Xbox 360 sold 393,000 units in October, maintaining the number-one console spot in the U.S. for 2011. This marks the eighth consecutive month Xbox 360 had more than 40 percent of the current-generation console market share.
· Xbox 360 unit sales grew 21 percent year over year in October, and it was the only current-generation console showing double-digit growth.
· Total retail spend on the Xbox 360 platform in October (hardware, software and accessories) reached $490 million, the most for any console in the U.S.
