March NPD: Mass Effect 3 tops sales, year-over-year decline continues

The sales figures for March have arrived, and despite several major, AAA releases, software and hardware sales were still down compared to March of 2011, continuing the year-over-year declines seen in both January and February.

Total industry sales during March brought in $1.10 billion, 25 percent less than the same period in 2011. Breaking that total down further, hardware sales accounted for $323.5 million (down 35 percent) while non-PC software sales contributed $553.1 million (down 25 percent) and accessories chipped in $222.5 million (down eight percent).

March marked the Xbox 360's thirteenth consecutive month of accounting for over 40 percent of total console sales, selling 371,000 units. It was also the console's fifteenth month as best selling console, and eighth month as best selling overall hardware platform.

Predictably, Mass Effect 3 topped sales charts for the period, selling twice as well as Mass Effect 2 did during its January launch in 2010. [Update: It sold 943K on Xbox 360 alone, according to Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg.] BioWare's podium-finish was accompanied by two comparatively less expected releases, Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City and MLB 12: The Show. As per usual, head on past the break for the list of March's top ten best selling titles.

1. Mass Effect 3 (360, PS3, PC) – with approximately 1.2 million sold between PS3 and 360, based on Greenberg's information.

2. Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (360, PS3)

3. MLB 12: The Show (PS3, PSV)

4. NBA 2K12 (360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PC, PS2)

5. SSX 2012 (360, PS3)

6. Street Fighter X Tekken (PS3, 360)

7. Mario Party 9 (Wii)

8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfar 3 (360, PS3, Wii, PC)

9. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja (360, PS3)

10. Major League Baseball 2K12 (360, PS3, Wii, NDS, PSP, PC, PS2)