U.S. video game sales drop 25 percent in March
LOS ANGELES — U.S. retail sales of video game hardware, software and accessories fell 25 percent in March from a year earlier to $1.1 billion. It marked the fourth month of decline as Sony Corp.'s new PS Vita handheld failed to spark a turnaround.
Market tracker NPD Group said Thursday that sales of console and portable software — the video games themselves — fell 26 percent to $585 million.
That's roughly in line with depressed estimates. Cowen & Co. analyst Doug Creutz forecast a 22 percent drop, while Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia expected a decline of 25 to 30 percent.
Electronic Arts Inc.'s “Mass Effect 3” was the top seller in the month.
The only PS Vita game to break into the top 10 was “MLB 12: The Show,” which ranked third.
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