Given the uncertainty of the gaming industry, 2014’s holiday season NPD Group figures made for quite the spectacle. Competition was ferocious, and for the most part the industry was full of winners.
It’s been a year since the PS4 and Xbox One came out, and two since the Wii U embarked on its eventful journey. Now is the time that the generation really begins to define itself. NPD Group’s November and December 2014 software charts as well as the press releases that would accompany them gave us a good idea of what’s hot and what’s not.
Related: NPD December 2014: Xbox One Was “Best-Selling Console During November and December”
In the gallery below you’ll get a quick overview about what you need to know about the current state of gaming.
State of Gaming: 8 Things We Learned from November & December NPD Group
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The mobile market is contracting
We already know that the PS Vita has lived a rough life, but the 3DS is experiencing a struggle of its own.
3DS sales during November and December were below projections. As a matter of fact, the handheld sold fewer units during the entirety of 2014 than the Nintendo DS did in December 2008 alone. While the 3DS is far from being a failure with its 50+ million units sold worldwide, there's almost no chance it'll replicate the success of any of its predecessors. Thanks, mobile gaming.
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Amiibos are a smash hit
The moment Amiibos were announced many were convinced that they would be popular, but even then they've sold beyond expectations.
Over 2.5 million Amiibos have been sold since early November. Doing the math, that's 32 million dollars in revenue, which is outstanding. Nintendo may have been uncomfortable during early 2014, but things are looking up.
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Minecraft is a monster
Minecraft was the only game present in the top 10 games of December 2014 that launched over a year ago. This is a game that has permeated the industry, selling tens of millions of copies in the process. It's so popular that on any given evening there are one million people playing it concurrently across several platforms. It's impressive, to say the least.
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Some (software) things never change
The top three performing games of December 2014 were Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Grand Theft Auto V, and Madden NFL 15. Look familiar? Yup, it's no different than years past. No surprises here.
No Xbox One or PS4 exclusives made the charts, either. Though, Super Smash Bros. did.
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The Xbox One has a shot at owning the U.S.
The Xbox One outsold the PS4 during both November and December 2014 thanks to a price drop and some fantastic Fall software. In addition, despite having a smaller install base it sold more software than the PS4.
We have every reason to think that the Xbox One will own the U.S. when this generation is all said and done if recent trends are any indication.
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The PS4 has this generation on lock
Although the Xbox One is doing everything in its power to improve sales, the PS4 is the console on more people's minds than any other. It is selling like hotcakes both in the U.S. and in virtually every other country it has debuted in. It sold over 18.5 million units during 2014, a number that few gaming devices have ever seen, and that was without a particularly great first-party lineup. With 2015 looking strong for the PS4, it's only going to improve heading into the future.
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The Wii U is doing OK
Let's be clear, the Wii U is a disaster when it comes to sales. However, at least it's improving.
In November and December 2014 it enjoyed record-breaking sales, topping its performance in 2013. A lot of that has to do with its strong first-party lineup in 2014, which included Super Smash Bros. and Mario Kart 8. Many Americans are beginning to invest in a second console for their living room, and in many cases that console is the Wii U.
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The gaming industry is alive and well
Here's a good fact for you: hardware sales were up 20% year-over-year in 2014. Remember all those talks about consoles dying, or the gaming industry getting smaller? Forget about it. Gaming is doing exceptionally well, especially when you consider its performance in the mobile arena.
