U.S. video game sales up 9 percent in August
U.S. sales of video game hardware and software rose 9 percent in August to $994.8 million, boosted by the popularity of the newly released “Madden NFL 09.” Americans bought $384.6 million in video game hardware, up 3 percent from a year ago, lead by sales of the handheld Nintendo DS, which sold 518,300 units, according to data from market researcher NPD Group.
Even amid the economic downturn, the video game industry has been faring well. This is in part because games cost about the same as they did a couple of decades ago, even as the prices of other consumer goods have increased sharply. In 1993, for example, Nintendo charged $60 for a game cartridge for its Super Nintendo Entertainment System today its “Mario Kart Wii” is available for $50.
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