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Microsoft and Sony divulge gaming hours, sales numbers in May NPD report

You want numbers? We got your numbers right here.

David Craddock

June 9, 2016 4:03 PM

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NPD Group has released its report for the month of May 2016, and Microsoft and Sony crowed about their respective accomplishments.

Microsoft forswore sharing how many Xbox One consoles it has sold. Instead, the manufacturer/publisher focuses on statistics pertaining to its user base. In an email statement, a representative from the Xbox division pointed to select new titles as frontrunners in boosting gaming hours on the platform.

"In May 2016, gaming hours on Xbox One more than doubled compared to last year, driven by the launches of ‘Overwatch’ and ‘DOOM’ as well as the addition of ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops’ to the catalog of Xbox 360 titles playable on Xbox One," wrote Mike Nichols, Corporate Vice President for Xbox Marketing.

Minecraft's sales to date hit 106 million with an average of 40 million unique users across all platforms.

Nichols ended his statement by teasing announcements concerning the future of the Xbox brand. "We are just days away from E3 2016 and we’re excited to share more details on what Xbox fans can expect this year and beyond. We expect this to be a special E3."

Meanwhile, NPD Group confirmed (via GameSpot) that Sony's PS4 was once again the highest-selling console of the month. Trivia buffs might find it interesting to note that October 2015 was the last month Xbox One outsold PS4, though that might change given the all-but-assured reveal of new Xbox and PS4 hardware.

NPD Group wrapped up its report by breaking down sales data in a number of categories. Sales of portables dropped by $7.3 million, while accessories fell by two percent. Point and subscription cards saved the day, though, resulting in May becoming that category's best month to date.

All summed up, sales of hardware, accessories, and physical software jumped to $528.6 million, up four percent (or $509.3 million) from this time last year.

Titles such as Uncharted 4, Overwatch, and Doom carried software to an 18 percent rise in sales, with Uncharted 4 taking the top spot.

Nintendo has not yet shared sales data.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.