Video Game Spending Reaches $9.1 Billion in Q3

Video game content sales increased 25 percent to $7 billion in Q3, according to the report.

All content categories¬–including full-game, DLC/ MTC, subscription and mobile gaming experienced growth. Mobile games and digital content for console and portable platforms saw the most growth. The report found that “Candy Crush Saga,” “Fortnite,” “Madden NFL19,” “Marvel's Spider-Man” and “NBA 2K19” had the most significant impact on dollar sales. Hardware sales grew 11 percent in Q3 to $737 million, led by Xbox One, PS4 and Plug & Play devices like NES Classic and SNES Classic.

Accessory sales grew 44 percent in Q3 2018 compared to a year ago, with headset and game card sales setting records in Q3 dollar spending. Game cards sales reached a record high, growing 63 percent to surpass accessories for the first time in the third quarter of a calendar year.

“The video game market in the U.S. continues to thrive with compelling gaming content expanding the market, driving higher spending of hardware, accessory and software,” says Mat Piscatella, games industry analyst, The NPD Group. “And with the sales strength of recent releases such as ‘Marvel's Spider-Man’ and ‘NBA 2K19,’ combined with cross-platform titles such as ‘Fortnite,’ there appears to be no slowing down as we head into the final stretch of the holiday shopping season.”