Stats for video game gross sales within the first quarter for 2020 had been not too long ago unveiled, highlighting that video game gross sales within the US had been the very best they’ve ever been in a single quarter.
The info comes from an official press launch from the NPD. According to the NPD report, “overall total industry consumer spending on video gaming in the US reached a record $10.86 billion in the first quarter of 2020.” These figures point out that gross sales have elevated by 9% from the identical time interval final yr.
The report mentions quite a lot of games which had been among the many best-selling titles of the quarter, together with new releases resembling Animal Crossing: New Horizons and DOOM Eternal, in addition to evergreen staples resembling Grand Theft Auto V, Minecraft, and Fortnite.
It is kind of clear that the reasoning behind this report quarter was massively influenced by the coronavirus and the rise in folks taking part in video games on account of having to remain indoors.
“Video games have brought comfort and connection to millions during this challenging time,” mentioned Mat Piscatella, games business analyst at The NPD Group.
“As people have stayed at home more, they’ve utilized gaming not only as a diversion and an escape, but also as a means of staying connected with family and friends. Whether it was on console or mobile, PC or virtual reality, gaming experienced play and sales growth during the first quarter.”
The quarter additionally noticed {hardware} gross sales enhance by 2%, amounting to a whopping $773 million general.
These figures, regardless of being record-breaking, don’t come as a lot of a shock. Last month, Final Fantasy 7 Remake sales surpassed 3.5 million worldwide, whereas Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa not too long ago confirmed that sales for Animal Crossing: New Horizons have already surpassed lifetime sales predictions.
Despite these will increase, it’s but to be seen how video game gross sales will carry out within the coming months, particularly with the appreciable quantity of delays more likely to seem on account of COVID-19. Just as we speak, Nintendo introduced that it expects to see a “large impact” to game development due to the coronavirus.
