Analysis: August 2009 Hardware Sales -- Price Cuts Help, But Wii Still On Top

The world's been demanding price cuts from Microsoft and Sony this year, but it wasn't until nearly the end of August that such changes were announced. Price cuts for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 have resulted in positive sales for both platforms, according to the August 2009 numbers released today by the NPD Group, but it wasn't enough to topple Nintendo's ever-selling Wii.

Here are the hardware numbers for August 2009:

• Nintendo DS: 552,900 (up from 538,900)
• Wii: 277,400 (up from 252,500)
• Xbox 360: 215,400 (up from 202,900)
• PlayStation 3: 210,000 (up from 121,800)
• PSP: 140,3000 (up from 122,800)
• PlayStation 2: 105,900 (down from 108,000)

The full effects of both Microsoft and Sony's price adjustments won't be felt until September has played out and each company's marketing materials spread the news. But both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 -- the former especially, helped by a new look for the hardware -- showed healthy month-over-month growth. Each machine seems poised to do well as the industry heads to Christmas.

"All hardware systems with the exception of the PS2 realized an increase in unit sales over July. The PS3 captured the greatest increase month-over-month with unit sales boosted by 72% over July levels," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier alongside the numbers. "There is a lot of speculation about Wii and whether Nintendo will take a price cut as sales comps to last year show declines. I do think it's interesting to note that the Wii is still selling at levels comparable to what the PS2 was doing at about this point in its lifecycle."

Frazier also noted that despite healthier hardware numbers, the overall industry continued its month-over-month sales decline -- the sixth month in a row. The rest of the year will have to show substantial growth to make up for the rest of the year's declines.

Do you hear that, Modern Warfare 2?

[image credit: flickr / DavidDMuir]