Video Game Industry Has $1.2 Billion April, Confirms It's Made Of Money

According to the latest NPD Group sales data, April 2008 was pretty darn good for the video game industry, with $1.23 billion dollars in sales in the United States. Yes, cigars are being lit with hundreds, champagne corks are being sabered and who knows what's being snorted off what based on the news. Oh, a refreshing Coors Light may even be knocked back. That billion-plus April is a big improvement—47% to be exact—over the previous April, which saw a paltry $839 million sum from American consumers. April's billion and change take contributes to a year-to-date $5.47 billion for the industry so far. In case you're wondering that's a lot of money.

Here's how it all breaks down. Brace yourself for more millions and more percentage growth talk.

• Hardware - $426.2 million (+26%)
• Software - $654.7 million (+68%)
• Accessories - $154 million (+39%)

GTA IV Whacks The April Competition, Mario Kart Grabs Second

It comes as little surprise to see Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto IV sitting atop the NPD Group's April software sales chart, with the Xbox 360 version scoring 1.8 million-plus sales alone. Mario Kart Wii, however, keeps GTA IV from total chart domination, as it outsold the PlayStation 3 version by an estimated 120,000 copies. Combined, however, both GTA IV's had a stronger debut month than March's chart topper, Super Smash Bros. Brawl.

Nintendo didn't just have a good month on the hardware side, as Wii games Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Wii Play and Guitar Hero III all landed in the top ten. New Pokemon action helped two DS titles grab pre-break billing.

1. Grand Theft Auto IV (Xbox 360) - 1,850,000
2. Mario Kart Wii (Wii) - 1,120,000
3. Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3) - 1,000,000
4. Wii Play (Wii) - 360,000
5. Super Smash Bros. Brawl (Wii) - 326,000
6. Gran Turismo 5: Prologue (PS3) - 224,000
7. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness (DS) - 202,000
8. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time (DS) - 202,000
9. Guitar Hero III (Wii) - 152,000
10. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Xbox 360) - 141,000

Wii Dominates April, PS3 & Xbox 360 In Dead Heat On GTA IV Sales

Nintendo had an amazing April, pushing over 700,000 Wiis in the United States. That's a massive difference from its "current gen high definition console" competition, as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were neck and neck, only a thousand units difference between the two. If you were expecting a big boost from Grand Theft Auto IV's release, you're going to leave disappointed. Maybe next month. Nintendo's other platform, the DS continued to impress, more than doubling sales of the PSP.

• Wii - 714,200
• Nintendo DS - 414,800
• PSP - 192,000
• Xbox 360 - 188,000
• PlayStation 3 - 187,100
• PlayStation 2 - 124,400

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NPD: 2007 Sales So Far

How is 2007 looking for the video game industry so far? Pretty damn good, having crossed the $10 billion revenue mark as of the end of October, with its two biggest revenue generating months still to come. If that's a tough number to wrap your brain around, try to imagine an ocean made of cash. It's a lot like that. October '07 saw the industry pull in $1.1 billion, across hardware and software, ensuring that this year will be its best. Much of that revenue can be chalked up to higher console prices for the Wii and PlayStation 3, plus some very strong selling software.

The best selling games, across all platforms, for the year are as follows, with more year-to-date sales data after the jump.

• Halo 3 - 3,700,000
• Madden NFL 08 - 3,200,000
• Guitar Hero II - 2,800,00
• Wii Play (w/ Remote) - 2,500,000
• Pokemon Diamond - 2,100,000
• Pokemon Pearl - 1,500,000
• Spider-Man 3 - 1,400,000
• Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock - 1,400,000

Halo 3, Guitar Hero Rule October Software Sales

Bungie's Halo 3 was once again master chief of the sales charts, despite a 92% drop in sales from its 3.3 million seller debut in September. Activision and Red Octane's Guitar Hero III also had a good month, pushing 1.4 million units across multiple platforms. While the lead platform goes to the Xbox 360 this month in individual SKU terms, with the Wii version far behind, over 500,000 copies of the PlayStation 2 version were sold last month, across the standalone and guitar bundled editions.

The top ten games sold in the U.S. for the month of October are below, with additional numbers after the jump.

01. Halo 3 (Xbox 360) - 433,800
02. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock w/ guitar (Xbox 360) - 383,200
03. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock w/ guitar (Wii) - 286,300
04. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock w/ guitar (PS2) - 271,100
05. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS) - 262,800
06. Wii Play (Wii) - 239,700
07. The Orange Box (Xbox 360) - 238,400
08. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PS2) -231,700
09. FIFA Soccer 08 (PS2) - 129,700
10. Brain Age 2: More Training In Minutes A Day (DS) - 116,900

Wii, DS Reclaim Hardware Lead, PS3 Takes Up Rear

The NPD Group today revealed its findings for U.S. hardware and software retail sales for the month of October, following a brief scare that led us to believe that NPD would no longer provide precious, life-giving hardware figures. Last month, Microsoft's Xbox 360 pushed its way to number one, boosted by strong Halo 3 sales. For the month of October, however, Nintendo's Wii surges past the 360, with the PlayStation brand resting uncomfortably in the lower half of the chart. Next month, we'll know tangibly how successful Sony's recent price drop for the PlayStation 3 was, as it went into effect on November 2nd.

Monthly sales follow, with more hardware numbers after the jump.

• Wii - 519,000
• Nintendo DS - 458,000
• Xbox 360 - 366,000
• PSP - 286,000
• PlayStation 2 - 184,000
• PlayStation 3 - 121,000