NPD May 2010: RDR clears 1.5M, Nintendo dominates hardware

NPD has released May sales figures for the US, showing the third best-selling May on record after 2008 and 2009 and some monster sales for Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption.

However, the industry as a whole was down 10 percent for the month year-on-year.

Industry sales total $823.5 million, down 5 percent

Industry sales were down 10 percent year-on-year in May, and down 5 percent over April. Total sales came in at approximately $823.5M.

Microsoft contributed the greatest share of revenue in May, with $254 million in total spent on 360 hardware, software and accessories.

However, PS3 showed the greatest percentage in growth, with platform sales across hardware, software, and accessories up 32 percent for the month, and 28 percent year-to-date.

Nintendo still dominates US hardware sales

Portable systems contributed the most to the decline in hardware sales for the month. Nintendo DS was the best-selling hardware in May, moving 383.7K units - that's down 57.1K from the 440.8K moved in April.

Wii posted sales of 334.8K units, compared to 277.2K in April, a 57.6K jump.

During the month, Xbox 360 moved approximately 195K units, 9.2K over April.

Sony sold 154.5K PS3 units in May, 26.3K units less than April's 180.8K.

PSP sold approximately 10K units less during May, by only moving 59.4K.

Here's the full chart:

1. DS - 383.7K
2. Wii – 334.8K
3. Xbox 360 – 194.6K
4. PS3 – 154.5K
5. PSP – 59.4K

When compared with April figures, both PS3 and 360 realized a unit sales increase in hardware.

However, when comparing May 2010 hardware sales year-on-year, figures fell 20 percent from $303M to $241.5M.

US hardware year-to-date:

1. DS - 2,560,700
2. Wii - 2,033,200
3. Xbox 360 - 1,473,200
4. PS3 - 1,286,200
5. PSP - 478,300

Software sales up 4 percent at $466.3M, RDR tops

May was the tenth consecutive month of year-on-year software sales increases for PS3.

Eight of the top ten SKU's for the month were new releases, helping raise the average selling price for software overall.

Red Dead Redemption was the best-selling game for the month, moving 1.5M  units across all platforms, immediately exceeding lifetime sales Red Dead Revolver.

For May year-to-date, 43 percent of total software units sold were online capable, compared to 37 percent in May last year.

Here's the full chart:

1. Red Dead Redeption (360) – 945.9K
2. Red Dead Redeption (PS3) – 567.1K
3. Super Mario Galaxy 2 (Wii) – 563.9K
4. UFC Undisputed 2010 (360) – 221.1K
5. UFC 2010 Undisputed (PS3) – 192.3K
6. Wii Fit Plus (Wii)
7. New Super Mario Bros. Wii (Wii)
8. Alan Wake (360)
9. Pokemon SoulSilver Version
10. Skate 3 (360)

There were many high-profile titles released in May that didn't make the top ten, some of which include: Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands, Split/Second, Blur, Lost Planet 2, and ModNation Racers.

ModNation Racers made it into the top 15, according to this IGN report, but neither Split/Second or Blur cracked the top 30 (thanks, Blerk).

The Big Three respond

The hardware manufacturers issued their usual statements in the figures' wake, with MS pointing to a big hardware spike from Slim in June, Sony fixing on year-over-year growth and Nintendo just lording it at the top of the tree.