With all the hubbub over Grand Theft Auto IV, the video-game world is anxious to learn how the blockbuster game really impacted industry sales. NPD Group's monthly sales data is expected later this week, but some analysts have issued predictions ahead of the curve.
Specifically, Wedbush Morgan Securities on Monday said it expects April U.S. retail video-game sales to reach $830 million. That's a 113 percent increase compared to the year-ago period, which totaled $389 million in April 2007.
That estimate reflects $765 million in sales contributions from new platforms, including the PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360, PSP and Nintendo DS, as well as current-generation software sales of $65 million. Wedbush estimates Nintendo's Wii leads the video-game sales with 600,000 units, followed by Sony's PS3 with 290,000 units and Microsoft's Xbox 360 with 275,000 units.
Wedbush expects future increases to be even more dramatic thanks to the releases of Nintendo's Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness for the DS, Mario Kart for the Wii and Take-Two's Grand Theft Auto IV for the PS3 and the Xbox 360. So it appears that the video-game sector is highly recession resistant so far this year.
Wii Shortage Impact
"April has been among the hardest we have had to forecast," said Michael Pachter, a security analyst at Wedbush Morgan. "In addition to the ever-changing Wii supply situation, we are faced with the launches of three phenomenal sellers in April."
Wedbush estimates GTA IV sold 3.3 million units in its first six days in the U.S., for total sales of $210 million, while Nintendo's Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and Mario Kart each sold 1.25 million units, for total sales of about $110 million.
Since April 2007, Nintendo has manufactured 1.8 million Wiis per month, shipping an average of only 600,000 per month to the U.S. The company announced its intention to ship...

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