NPD: 3DS and Injustice top May sales

3DS edged out Xbox 360 as the top-selling hardware platform in the United States in May, although Microsoft’s box remained the No.1 home console for the 29th month running, shifting 114,000 units, according to the platform holder. While monthly revenue generated from all hardware sales declined 31 per cent from a year earlier to $96 million, 3DS adoption was “essentially flat from last May”, according to Liam Callahan, analyst at retail monitor the NPD Group.

Taking in hardware, software and accessories, new physical retail sales fell 25 per cent from last May to $386.3 million. On the software front, Injustice: Gods Among Us retained the No.1 spot from April, ahead of Call of Duty: Black Ops 2. 3DS software unit sales were up 60 per cent versus May 2012, with exclusive titles Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D and Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon placing third and fifth respectively on the monthly chart.

NPD pointed out that the figures above represent new physical retail sales of hardware, software and accessories, which only account for about 50 per cent of the total consumer spend on games. Taking into account used games, rentals and digital sales, the consumer spend in May is estimated at $787 million.

May software chart:

• Injustice: Gods Among Us (360, PS3, Wii U)
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (360, PS3, PC, Wii U)
• Donkey Kong Country Returns (3DS, Wii)
• Dead Island: Riptide (360, PS3, PC)
• Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon (3DS)
• Metro: Last Light (360, PS3, PC)
• NBA 2K13 (360, PS3, Wii U, PC, Wii, PSP)
• Bioshock Infinite (360, PS3, PC)
• Battlefield 3 (360, PS3, PC)
• Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes (360, PS3, Wii U, PC, 3DS, Vita, DS)