NPD: Wii reclaims lead in US sales, but console gaming market shrinks by a fifth

The NPD has released its US video game industry figures for October, which reveal that total monthly revenue from hardware, software and accessories among all manufacturers fell to $1.07 billion, constituting a 19 percent drop from what the American gamer spent over the same period last year. After being toppled from its chart-leading ways in September by a price cut-boosted PS3, the Wii has regained its sales throne by chopping $50 off its own entry fee, making itself buoyant in the US, if not the world. The PS3s own sales have suffered a slump after the September euphoria, while the 360 is still wearing the dunce cap in third place. Microsofts response has been to keep banging that drum about being the only console to show year-to-date growth, but when youre selling less than half as many consoles as Nintendo, you have to grasp at whatever straws are nearby. Speaking of Nintendo, its DS sales so far this year have continued at such a rate as to threaten its own 2008 hardware sales record -- set by the Wii -- with ten million units sold. So there you have it: Sony fails to maintain its September lead, Nintendo keeps churning, and Microsoft keeps hoping for better times ahead. Full list of figures after the break.

Wii regains hardware top spot following US price cut
Xbox 360 leads in year-to-date growth
DS poised to break US hardware records
US gaming hardware sales in October (source: NPD)

Nintendo Wii - 506,900
Nintendo DS - 457.600
PlayStation 3 - 320,600
Xbox 360 - 249,700
PlayStation Portable - 174,600
PlayStation 2 - 117,800