The industry saw a record high that hasn’t been topped since 2008.

License Global

April 21, 2020

1 Min Read
videogamez.png

As many U.S. states are under stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the video game industry is seeing a spike in sales.

In fact, the industry has not seen a spike in video game spending this high since 2008, when sales for hardware, software and accessories topped $1.8 billion. This past March, video game spending topped $1.6 billion in the U.S.

Driving most of the sales was spending on Nintendo Switch’s console family, which more than doubled in sales, year-over-year. Switch consoles sold out at multiple U.S. retailers like GameStop, Target, Best Buy and Amazon. According to a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter, Nintendo announced, “more systems are on the way.” The Switch beat an all-time record last March, beating its launch month in March 2017.

Microsoft’s Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation also saw a boost in sales during March 2020. Both consoles saw a 25 percent increase in sales, year-over-year. Hardware sales in March were up 63 percent overall from 2018, topping $461 million.

Spending for software also increased to $739 million in March, up 34 percent. “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” launched on March 20, which aided in the boost and ranked as the No. 2 selling title for the year thus far, right behind “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.”

Accessories like headsets, controllers and more also increased in sales, up $397 million.

About the Author(s)

License Global

License Global is the leading news source for the brand licensing industry, delivering award-winning editorial content including news, trends, analysis, and special reports about the global consumer product and retail marketplace.

Through its print edition, website, daily e-newsletter and event publications, License Global reaches more than 150,000 executives and professionals in all major markets. The magazine also serves as the official publication for the sector’s trade events, which include Licensing Expo, Brand Licensing Europe, Licensing Expo Japan, Licensing Expo Shanghai and the Licensing Leadership Summit.

Subscribe for updates directly into your inbox.

 

 

 

Subscribe and receive the latest news from the industry Article
Join 62,000+ members. Yes, it's completely free.

You May Also Like