NPD April 2011: Fox News Edition

Folks, before we go back to discussing PSN and the upcoming E3, let's talk sales of last month. And let's make this quick and easy

Xbox 360 - 297K (+60%)
Nintendo DS - 257K (-42%)
PlayStation 3 - ~204.3K (+13%)
Nintendo 3DS - 194K
Wii - 172K (-38%)


The highest selling this month is the 360. And it looks like the tables have been turned on the Wii as it now sells below 200K. The 3DS also hit below 200K with the PS3 above 200K. Apparently, the ol DS is still higher than the PS3, yet lower than the 360.

But that ain't saying much, since hardware sales are lower than last month. And Fox News has this to say about sales.

While dedicated machines like Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360 currently rule the gaming world, they may be the last of their kind. Evolving consumer demand, falling prices, and smartphones that play a whole lot more than Brickbreaker threaten to completely change how consumers play games at home and on the go.

“I actually think consoles are a thing of the past,” avid gamer Mark Ormond told FoxNews.com. He confessed to playing more games on his iPhone these days than on his Wii or Xbox 360.

“Why pay $50-60 for sequels of the same games on $300 machines when I can play newer experiences elsewhere in a lot less time -- and for a lot less money -- on devices I already use more?” he asked.

Ormond obviously doesn’t speak for every gamer. Fanatics who play more than 10 hours a week -- sometimes as much as 5-6 hours per day -- are more than happy to regularly part with that kind of cash for admittedly deeper and longer-lasting gameplay.

But as non-traditional gaming platforms expand, can Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft keep doing business as usual? Do consoles even have a place in the future?

Not in the traditional sense, says outspoken gaming analyst Michael Pachter. “Gaming will move to the cloud,” he told FoxNews.com this week. And that’s a body blow for console makers, who make money on not only their own games, but hardware sales and licensing fees.

To further complicate the issue, consumers are already warming to the idea of not owning their games, production consultant Keith Fuller told FoxNews.com. “Every time someone uses Gmail, Netflix Instant, or Amazon’s Cloud Player, they’re already buying into the concept of using a service without physically owning or installing something.”

That's right. Smartphones and the Cloud will do something that PCs failed to do: Destroy Console gaming. Folks, this is the beginning of a new revolution. But I speak too much. What about software? Well if you like Mortal Kombat, you'll like this

01. Mortal Kombat 2011 (PS3, 360)** Warner Bros. Interactive - 1+ Million With Special Editions (Much Higher Debut Than Both Street Fighter IV and MvC 3)
02. Portal 2 (360, PS3, PC) Electronic Arts - 637K
03. Lego Star Wars III: The Clone Wars (Wii, NDS, 360, 3DS, PS3, PC) LucasArts
04. Call of Duty: Black Ops (360, PS3, NDS, Wii, PC)** Activision Blizzard
05. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters (360, PS3, Wii)** Electronic Arts
06. Crysis 2 (360, PS3, PC) Electronic Arts - 236K
07. Just Dance 2 (Wii) Ubisoft
08. Michael Jackson The Experience (360, Wii, PS3, NDS, PSP) Ubisoft
09. Pokemon White Version (NDS) Nintendo
10. NBA 2K11 (360, PS3, Wii, PSP, PS2, PC) Take 2 Interactive - 190K

That's right. Good Ol Mortal Kombat is back, taking number 1, with Portal 2 right behind it. Both are good games, but the flawless victory goes to Warner Bros. Lego Star Wars III trugs along in 3rd place with Call of Duty still hanging on in 4th place. Tiger Woods won't let a failed relationship get the best of him in 5th with Crysis 2 in 6th. The only Wii exclusive, Just Dance, is still dancing in the Top 10 and Michael Jackson's spirit is dancing right behind him. Rounding out the Top 10 are Pokemon White and NBA 2K11

Is Fox News right? Are Consoles on the decline? Or am I blabbling on too much? Find out next month.

Works Cited: Fox News