January may have gone to the Wii and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare on the hardware and software sides respectively, but both were bested by an accessory as the biggest selling item, according to the NPD Group. The Wii nunchuk controller claimed that prestigious honor, selling an impressive 375,000 units in the United States.

At only $19.99, it's not surprising that Nintendo is pushing millions of these puppies out the door. All those people who snatched up Wii Play last year—4.12 million of them did—need to spend the earmarked Wii dollars on something. Wii Sports boxing is certainly no fun without it.

Microsoft may have suffered heavily on the hardware side this January due to stock shortages, but Sony isn't going to put an asterisk by its win over Microsoft. It starts off its corporate statement on last month's U.S. sales by pointing out that the PlayStation 3 outsold the Xbox 360 by 17%, boasting of "continued momentum" for the console. Increased PlayStation Network downloads and nearly 3 million PSN accounts, corporate says, illustrate that momentum.

The rest of the statement covers not just the PS3, but the PlayStation "brand" which, Sony says, was number one in both hardware and software in January. The company also chose to focus on its upcoming library, with SCEA CEO Jack Tretton commenting "We have an exceptionally diverse lineup of exclusive games, from Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Metal Gear Solid 4 and Resistance 2 to more mainstream games such as LittleBigPlanet and SingStar." What? No Killzone 2, Jack?

For the full statement, packed with selective data, read on.

Infinity Ward does it again. After a spectacular November and December in the US of A, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare sees a respectable January, securing the number one position on the software charts. 2007's number two seller, Wii Play, keeps its second place spot, beating out both Rock Band and Guitar Hero III with 298K copies sold.

Despite being a relatively down month for the Wii and Xbox 360 on the hardware side, the two consoles hold the top seven on the software side. Again, no PlayStation 2 info, but we're not sure if that's based on sales or just missing data. The top ten is after this.

There's a reason that Microsoft issued a preemptive damage control statement earlier today about its current supply issues with the Xbox 360—the console is sitting at the bottom of the NPD Group's January 2008 sales charts with an atypically low 230,000 units sold in the United States. We wouldn't be at all surprised if Nintendo chalks up less than mind-blowing sales of the Wii and Nintendo DS to similar supply problems later tonight. The post-holiday race looks pretty much like a dead heat.

• Wii - 274,000
• PlayStation 3 - 269,000
• PlayStation 2 - 264,000
• Nintendo DS - 251,000
• PlayStation Portable - 230,000
• Xbox 360 - 230,000

But lets give it up for the PlayStation 3. As I predicted in last week's episode of GameTrailers TV, the console outsold Microsoft's box last month, which makes me pretty much the smartest person in the room. Curiously though, no PlayStation 2 hardware numbers were provided by the NPD Group, and we hope to get the data from Sony themselves when they gloat.

Update: PlayStation 2 numbers added, provided by Sony Computer Entertainment.

The NPD Group tracks all sorts of consumer product sales, including video games (which you no doubt have heard before). Now they are tracking even more video games, expanding to report numbers of online game subscriptions, including MMOs, gaming sites and services like Xbox LIVE. Their reports will be released quarterly, detailing new subscriptions and renewals. It's a good idea, but what must it feel like to work for the NPD, sitting around in a think tank, cooking up new gaming sales data to track?

"You know, that WoW is kind of a big deal."
"Brilliant! Here's another bonus!"
"You know, Wendy's sounds great for lunch."
"Brilliant! Here's another bonus!"

NPD Launches Online Game Subscription Tracking Report [Gamasutra]

One batch of numbers we didn't touch on from yesterday's NPD sales data figures were the 2007 year-to-date and lifetime-to-date console sales in the US. The figures reveal some enlightening, and for some, distressing, details about the current winners and losers in the US console war. For example, the Nintendo DS, which walked away with the #1 spot in '07, sold a total of 8.5 million units in the US last year, over twice that of the PSP and essentially doubling it's lifetime install base.

The rest of the annual sales are below (now with fresh Game Boy Advance numbers!).

2007 Total Hardware Sales

• Nintendo DS - 8,500,000
• Wii - 6,290,000
• Xbox 360 - 4,620,000
• PlayStation 2 - 3,970,000
• PSP - 3,820,000
• PlayStation 3 - 2,560,000
• Game Boy Advance - 1,120,000

But who's currently reigning supreme in totals?

There's absolutely no doubt that Nintendo is pleased as punch with its performance in the US this past holiday season. It is, no doubt, ecstatic. The Nintendo DS and Wii were the two best-selling platforms stateside not just for the month of December, but for the entirety of 2007. Highlights from the statement we just received include awesome sales of Wii Play, both Brain Age titles and Super Mario Galaxy. Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo's new EVP of sales & marketing says the company is "sold out of virtually all hardware, and much of our stock of software and accessories was sold out as well, thanks to the broad appeal of Wii and Nintendo DS."

Look, it's just good news across the board for the folks in Kyoto and Redmond. The full statement is below. Try not to get too depressed that you don't own any Nintendo stock.

Sony isn't going to let a sales drubbing from the Wii and Xbox 360 this past December get it down. The company did quite alright, by its own accord and thinks the best is yet to come, so says its NPD Group sales response. Sony points out PlayStation total hardware revenue was $714 million for the month, which is not pocket change, by any means and a figure that surpasses both Nintendo and Microsoft's hardware revenue.

Guitar Hero games are still selling better on the PlayStation 2, it says, as is Madden. We even get software info for the PlayStation 3 version of Call of Duty 4, which sold 522,000 copies to the Xbox 360's 1.47 million. Hang in there guys! Full statement after this.

With solid sales of 1.26 million Xbox 360s this past December and impressive software sales from Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3 on the console, Microsoft seems noticeably up on news from the NPD Group that it was responsible for a couple extra billion in revenue. In its response to recently released sales figures, the company points out it did $4.8 billion in sales on its platform, more than Wii, more than PlayStation 3.

Microsoft also mentions that the gap between Xbox 360 and PS3 sales is widening, reminding everyone that multi-platform games like Assassin's Creed and Guitar Hero III are outselling their PS3 counterparts some more than two-to-one. The full MS strut, which includes another reference to Resident Evil 5 hitting this year, is after the jump.

We won't trot out itprintsmoney.gif this time, because that animated image simply doesn't do justice to newly released hardware sales data from the NPD Group and the staggering figures coming out of Nintendo. The Nintendo DS sold an amazing 2.47 million Nintendo DS units to shoppers in December 2007, nabbing the number one spot and nearly doubling sales of its closest competitor, the Wii. Nintendo DS sales represent about a third of billion dollars in hardware sales alone.

The Wii also had a very good month, beating out console competition the Xbox 360 by a solid 90,000 and trouncing the PlayStation 3, who brought up the rear with a respectable six-figure showing. The December casualty report from the US Console War of 2007 is below.

• Nintendo DS - 2,470,000
• Wii - 1,350,000
• Xbox 360 - 1,260,000
• PlayStation 2 - 1,100,000
• PSP - 1,060,000
• PlayStation 3 - 797,600

NPD sales figures for December show that Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare took the top spot this holiday season, selling 1.47 million copies of the Xbox 360 version alone. The Activision published shooter just narrowly beat out Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii, which settled for number two and 1.4 million sold to software hungry Wii owners.

The rest of the list features familiar faces, with Guitar Hero II and Guitar Hero III selling ludicrous amounts. Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games for Wii takes the tail end of the top ten, making the Sega-predicted 4 million copies sold seem that much more reasonable.

Today's NPD sales numbers reveal that Bungie's Halo 3 was the best selling game in the United States in 2007, with a whopping 4.82 million copies sold. Nipping at Master Chief's heels was Nintendo's own Wii Play. It sold through a staggering 4.12 million units to the masses.

Despite generally negative review scores, it would seem that Wii owners were consumed by the prospect of more mini-games (and a second Wii remote) nearly on par with the thirst that Xbox 360 owners had for more Halo. An impressive feat for Nintendo, but more impressive for Microsoft, considering Wii Play had a seven month head start on the first-person shooter.

The top ten best selling games in the USA for last year are after the jump.

About 63 percent of the U.S. population play video games, and a majority of them see game playing as a way to alleviate stress and to help them unwind, according to a new study conducted by the NPD Group.

The report is based on online survey responses from 5,039 members of NPD's online consumer panel conducted from Oct. 11 to Oct. 18.

Of those who game, 30 percent said they are spending more time gaming this year than last year while another 30 percent or so said they are spending less time and nearly 40 percent say they are spending about the same amount of time. The heaviest gamers in the survey were 18 to 34.

"The new type of game experiences brought to the market over the past several years are succeeding in reaching a broader audience. The challenge for the industry is that consumers are a fickle group, and with the great variety of options pulling at their limited free time, they're going to be easily distracted unless something really compels them to stay with gaming," said Anita Frazier, industry analyst, The NPD Group. "To reach these less involved consumers, the industry has to work even harder, but doing so can produce great rewards."

The most recent sales data from the NPD Group is missing a key retailer, reports GameDaily, as Toys R Us data was not factored into October's monthly sales charts. Martin Zagorsek VP at The NPD Group told GameDaily that "we typically add a few retailers and lose one or two" and defends the company's results, adding "overall our market coverage has not changed very much compared to last year." More details on the change in NPD numbers at the original report.

NPD Defends Integrity of its Video Game Data [GameDaily]

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

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

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

It would appear that Microsoft's strategy to issue a price drop in time for the release of Madden NFL 08 has unsurprisingly worked to their advantage. One can only assume that the boys in Redmond are observing August's Excel spreadsheet from the NPD Group from their thrones amid bouts of maniacal, power hungry laughter. With no hope of beating the Wii's untouchable 400,000-plus units sold last month, the Xbox 360's trouncing of all things PlayStation was no fluke. It's smart marketing.

Hardware sales in the U.S. for the month of August are below, with lifetime-to-date sales after the jump.

• Wii - 403,600
• Nintendo DS - 383,300
• Xbox 360 - 276,700
• PlayStation 2 - 202,000
• PSP - 151,200
• PLAYSTATION 3 - 130,600

August software sales figures have just been released by the NPD Group, showing that EA's venerable football franchise shows no signs of slowing down, just like John Madden at a buffet table. The Xbox 360 SKU crushed the competition, beating out the PlayStation 2 version by an additional 250,000 units sold. Some 2 million-plus units of Madden NFL 08 were sold across all platforms.

Sales of the Xbox 360 critical darling BioShock outsold its first person competition Metroid Prime 3: Corruption by more than two-to-one during the month of August. Keep in mind the latter was on the market for one less week than 2K's insta-hit, but it still bodes well for a BioShock sequel.

The top ten selling games in the U.S. for August are listed below. More after the break.

01. Madden NFL 08 (Xbox 360) - 896,600
02. Madden NFL 08 (PS2) - 643,600
03. BioShock (Xbox 360) - 490,900
04. Madden NFL 08 (PS3) - 336,200
05. Wii Play (Wii) - 256,800
06. Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii) - 218,100
07. Mario Strikers Charged (Wii) - 147,400
08. Guitar Hero II (PS2) - 145,400
09. Mario Party 8 (Wii) - 138,300
10. Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80s (PS2) - 127,100