Nintendo's Picture-Perfect December

Here we are in December, the last month of the year and in this case the last year of the decade. As the autumn leaves descend into winter freeze, people begin to wall off unto themselves to conserve warmth. Perhaps this explains the need for those special days to encourage people to congregate with one another. The weakening sun brings forth longer darker nights and a general sense of gloom. It’s no wonder why this spirit of festivity and generosity flavors this time of year. When you’re cold and lonely, you need this spirit to bring light to your day. Though not universal, this time of year inspires many to become better people—more connected and united in humanity.

And oh the humanity! What happened in the latest figures from The NPD Group, Inc. is utterly sincerely brain-crushing! The name is Nintendo. Remember it well. When I say that Nintendo made history this December take note that it is a serious understatement. Records were not only broken but taken out back and shot down like clay pigeons! For one, thanks to their sales and the others, NPD recorded THE BEST month in videogame history (beating last December’s amazing record)! This in the midst of an increasingly felt economic decline which had the Chicken Little analysts worried about the sky falling on the industry for months. Hey, it’s like this. When the price is right, the people will come on down to Bob Barker. Maybe I should amend that to when the PRIZE is right, huh? ‘Tis the season! Unwrap these generous estimates and regale in the festivities.

Nintendo’s Wii was born in a manger under the Starman of Bethlehem selling an (JESUS!) INVINCIBLE 3,810,000 magnum opuses of Mario in the month of Christ’s Mass. In the month of All Saints Day, the gamechanger of the biz sold 1,260,000 Wii warehouse-fulls UNBELIEVABLY more than TRIPLING its output! OK. I need to time to breathe for a second. Whew, OK. What you have just witnessed here was Nintendo breaking numerous records. Starting from the top, these are the highest monthly sales of ANY console (home or handheld) in videogame history. Of course, it goes without saying that these are the highest December sales of any console in videogame history. And naturally, these sales helped to make the highest monthly sales for the videogame industry in NPD history. Next, these are the highest monthly sales in Wii’s history. Furthermore, these are the highest monthly sales in Nintendo’s history.

That last one I want you to pay particular attention to because it was thanks to this month that Wii finally overtook the legendary Nintendo Entertainment System in all-time home console sales. In a span of just over 3 years, Wii is now the best-selling home console in Nintendo history with well over 62 million sold worldwide and counting. It was destiny that this day would come with the breakout success Wii has provided for Nintendo as well as the entire industry. By staying true to their vision, Nintendo allowed Wii to defy all doubts and disbelief. The industry has never been and will never be the same thanks to this Revolution. And the world’s better for it.

Nintendo’s DS had a sky high sleigh ride with Santa and Rudolph selling an IMPOSSIBLE 3,310,000 inside tracks in the month retailers live for. In the month when Thanksgiving is ignored, DS sold 1,700,000 i’s for eyes showing virtually DOUBLE its output! Broken records coming up. If not for Wii, this would have stood as the highest monthly console sales (period) in videogame history. But never fear. It surely broke its own record for highest monthly handheld sales of all-time (that was last December’s 3,040,000). Oh, and did I forget to mention, DS had the best-selling year of its lifetime in 2009 as well as the best-selling year of any console (home or handheld) in videogame history! Yow! And to think, at the beginning of 2009 I was concerned it may have been too soon to release the DSi. Shows what I know.

In its 5th year on the market, the DS shows no sign whatsoever of losing momentum. If anything, it only looks like it’s getting stronger as time goes on (much to PSP’s disappointment). Like with Wii, this December allowed the DS to beat out the legendary Game Boy as the best-selling handheld not only in Nintendo history but of all-time (with well over 119 million sold worldwide and counting)! In a little over 5 years! Good gravy! This is one gamble that paid off in the most major way possible. Hiroshi Yamauchi said that with the DS they would either rise to heaven or sink to hell. The old boss was so right. It has been like a never-ending beanstalk climb into the clouds with samba music playing to the gathering of coins. By going left when everybody else went right, Nintendo stayed true to their vision and succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. It has been nothing short of a Phenomenal ride.

Sony’s PlayStation 3 partied like it was 1999 in 2009 with impression-making sales of 1,360,000 onyx phoenixes in the month of New Year’s Eve. In the month of Black Friday, the value-packed console of choice sold 710,400 of its comeback kind showing nearly a DOUBLING increase in sales! History has been made here once again, laddies and gentlewomen. For the first time ever, the PS3 has made monthly sales into the 7-digit category. They finally broke a million! This is the PS3’s best monthly sales EVER! YAAAAY! Congratulations Sony! Absolutely Excellent!

Whoa whoa, what’s this? Wait a minute. Did they just beat out the XBox 360 in the hierarchy? Again? With no major exclusive holiday releases to boost them? Oh. My. God. They survived the holidays into 2010 against Microsoft. In 2010, their big guns begin to hit (like God of War III for instance). Whoa wait. Another thing. Check out that sales tally on the PS3: 1,360,000. Three sixty huh? Hmm. It looks like the PS3 might just have XBox’s number after all. Can the PS3 recover in 2010? Will Sony overcome a Microsoft ready to hype Project Natal into the stratosphere? It’s certainly a new year for Sony. Year 2010 will be one hell of an odyssey.

Microsoft’s XBox 360 faithfully lit kinaras and menorahs selling a remarkable 1,310,000 warfaring assassins 4 hire in the month of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. In the month of Veterans Day and the founding of U.S. Marine Corps, the refuge of the hardcore sold 819,500 NXE-gen HDs showing a nice holiday increase. The power of mainly 3 games propelled the 360 for the holidays. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Assassin’s Creed II, and Left 4 Dead 2. Bigtime sequels that were in constant demand by eager shoppers to the point of out of stock. But what’s going to become of the “XBox 2” in 2010? There’s sure to be more big sequels (many with the number ‘2’) to keep it steady but there are signs that the 360 may be losing some momentum.

This year’s total is less than last December’s 1,440,000. A negligible number of a 130,000, sure, but everybody else (not counting PSP or PS2) went up this year. Way up. Even the PS3…even though they were already so low before. The economic situation didn’t seem to scare shoppers off from videogames in December in neither hardware nor software. Modern Warfare 2 sells highest on the 360 so why such a comparatively modest boost? The console is 4 years old heading into its 5th year and many of its games preach to the choir, so to speak. With Sony recovering and the 360’s virtual nonexistence in Japan, Microsoft will have to do something to keep their system gaining new audience. It all comes down to Project Natal unless the 360 has more tricks up its money-padded sleeve.

Sony’s PlayStation Portable bah-humbugged it all throwing cold water at the carolers with 654,700 going going gones sold in the month of Festivus. In the ordinary days of November, PSP sold 293,900 OK Go’s showing a more than doubling increase for the holidays. This looks good on the surface but in reality it’s bad. First off, this is now the 16th month in a row that PSP sells less than last year (it’s getting comical at this point!). Second, this is the first December that the PSP didn’t sell past a million since its near million 953,200 total from December 2006 (its 1st December on the North American market). Third, this number is embarrassingly low compared to its previous Decembers approaching half of its usual 1 million+ holiday sales. I’m not even gonna bring in the DS competitor comparison because that would be cruel.

It’s almost as if PSPgo ruined this system further. Ever since they brought that out it looks like it’s weakened the PSP’s numbers. It has done absolutely jack for the platform (even Japan doesn’t like it) and is a sore spot for a Sony who seems to be hitting all the right notes with the PS3. So much promise, so many possibilities, so many promises. Who knows if Sony is planning to release the expected “PSP2” to make up for the original or if they will continue to revive this 5 year old handheld. No matter what though, you have to give the PSP its credit. It took the fight to Nintendo’s handheld empire and lived long enough to tell the tale. If not for it, would we even have the DS and Nintendo’s industry revolution?

Sony’s PlayStation 2 was gracious and thankful for the soup kitchen’s nourishment with sales of 333,200 old dodgers in the wintery month when nights are longest. In the month that ends daylight savings time, Ken Kutaragi’s enduring legacy sold 203,100 console elders showing a defiant increase. It’s still here. Still kicking. Still on the retail shelves along with all those other new fangled machines. Still bringing in good sales despite its vast age. In 3 months (March), the PS2 will be a full 10 years old. And if it makes it to late October intact it will have been in the North American market for 10 years. A decade of the reign of the Emotion Engine. This console classic is the NES of its day and will be remembered fondly for decades to come as one of the greatest entertainment machines in history. Until the Wii makes its inevitable claim, the PS2 will continue to be the greatest-selling videogame console of all-time.

Stocking stuffed together, the U.S. videogame industry unwrapped (GOD!) $5.53 billion in total sales, a 4% cookies ‘n’ milk stackup from last December. Of this incomprehensible 5 billion dollar figure, total hardware sales angel-topped up 16% to $2.19 billion while total software sales under-treed down 7% to $2.58 billion. Consequently, total accessory sales tinseled up 15% to $760.2 million. Look at all that money!

As the decade of the 2000s ends for 2009, the overall slump that occurred during the middle of the year kept the videogame industry just quite out of reach of breaking its yearly record from 2008. Nevertheless, the U.S. videogame industry was gifted (MAN!) $19.66 billion in total sales this year, an 8% snowfall down from that outstanding 2008. Of this obscene 19 billion dollar figure, total hardware sales shook down 7% to over $7.18 billion (home: down 13%; handhelds: up 6%). Total software sales Scrooged down 20% to just under $9.9 billion (home: down 10%; handhelds: down 10%). And total accessory sales flaked down 1% to over $2.55 billion. Mo’ money!

The last paragraph’s percentages refer to year-to-year comparisons between 2009 and 2008. The percentages in the one before that refer to year-to-year comparisons between December 2009 and December 2008. Just thought you should know.

OK. If you got through all of that, now it’s time for the games. It was a Nintendo TKO led by New Super Mario Bros. Wii. Six out of 10 spots were Nintendo’s. Old standbys (even Wii Play returned to the Top 10!) and a new recruit representing the DS. But the others weren’t going to go without a fight. Modern Warfare 2 answered the call of duty twice while the creed of the assassins left ‘em 4 dead. This was one December to remember so shake the presents under this tree.

NPD’s Top Hardware Sales in December

Nintendo Wii – 3,810,000
Nintendo DS – 3,310,000
Sony PlayStation 3 – 1,360,000
Microsoft XBox 360 – 1,310,000
Sony PlayStation Portable – 654,700
Sony PlayStation 2 – 333,200

NPD’s Top Ten Software Sales in December

01. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii) – 2,820,000
02. Wii Fit Plus (Wii) – 2,410,000
03. Wii Sports Resort (Wii) – 1,790,000
04. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (X360) – 1,630,000
05. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3) – 1,120,000
06. Wii Play (Wii) – 1,010,000
07. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) – 936,100
08. Assassin’s Creed II (X360) – 783,100
09. Left 4 Dead 2 (X360) – 728,500
10. Mario & Luigi: Bowser’s Inside Story (DS) – 656,700

The holiday clearance sale has begun. Check out the Nintendomination below with 7 out of the following 10 spots. Many surprises to unwrap.

NPD’s Top Twenty Software Sales in December

11. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks (DS)
12. New Super Mario Bros. (DS)
13. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (DS)
14. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games (Wii)
15. Madden NFL 10 (X360)
16. Scribblenauts (DS)
17. Mario Kart DS (DS)
18. Assassin’s Creed II (PS3)
19. Madden NFL 10 (PS3)
20. Just Dance (Wii)

And now at the end of the year see where the consoles and games fit in the industry pecking order. Let the last year of the 00s open your eyes and make you go “OO.”

NPD’s Top Ten Hardware Sales in 2009

Nintendo DS – 11,187,400
Nintendo Wii – 9,594,000
Microsoft Xbox 360 – 4,770,700
Sony PlayStation 3 – 4,334,500
Sony PlayStation Portable – 2,495,900
Sony PlayStation 2 – 1,799,900

NPD’s Top Ten Software Sales in 2009

01. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (X360)
02. Wii Sports Resort (Wii)
03. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
04. Wii Fit (Wii)
05. Wii Fit Plus (Wii)
06. Mario Kart Wii (Wii)
07. Wii Play (Wii)
08. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (PS3)
09. Halo 3: ODST (X360)
10. Pokémon Platinum (DS)