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June NPD: Lego Batman 2 on top, hardware and software sales still down year over year

Jordan Mallory
Contributing Editor
Updated ·2 min read
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This year's overall downward trend in software and hardware sales continued through June, according to the latest set of data released by the NPD Group. The whole industry (hardware, physical software and accessories sales) brought in $699.8 million, 29 percent less dough than the $989.5 million earned in June of 2011.

Year over year, hardware sales were down a staggering 45 percent -- $201.3 million in 2012 versus $364.9 million in 2011. That being said, all platforms (except the PS2 and PSP) saw increased sales over May due to Father's Day and high-school/college graduation gift shopping, although the "Dads and Grads" effect was less potent than it was in 2011, according to the NPD Group's Anita Frazier.

Conversely, accessories were up year over year, if just barely, due mostly to sales of points cards (XBLA points, Steam Wallet cards, etc), which is indicative of a trend towards digital gaming spurred on by a lack of new titles at retail, says Frazier. The segment pulled down four percent more in 2012 ($169.8 million) than in 2011 ($163.00 million). Physical software sales, totaling up at $328.7 million for the month, contributed 29 percent fewer funds to June's totals than they did last year, when software equaled $461.6 million.

As far as specific software is concerned, a list of the 10 best-selling games in June is tucked away after the break, as per usual. List topper Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes sold 450,000 units across all consoles in June, which the NPD Group attributes to an increased amount of Batman mind-share in the public consciousness due to the impending release of The Dark Knight Rises. Ghost Recon: Future Soldier and Diablo 3 came in second and third for the month, with the rest of the list being a mish-mash of the surprising (Pokemon Conquest? Batman: Arkham City?!) and predictable mainstay entries like Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3.



  1. Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (360, Wii, PS3, NDS, 3DS, PSV, PC)

  2. Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (360, PS3, PC)

  3. Diablo 3 (PC)

  4. Max Payne 3 (360, PS3, PC)

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

  6. Batman: Arkham City (360, PS3, PC)

  7. Pokemon Conquest (NDS)

  8. Modern Warfare 3 (360, PS3, Wii, PC)

  9. Battlefield 3 (360, PS3, PC)

  10. The Amazing Spider-Man (360, PS3, 3DS, NDS, Wii)