PlayStation 4 leads jump in US console sales

SAN FRANCISCO - Sony's PlayStation 4 led a surge in console sales that lifted the US video game market in April, said figures released Thursday by market research firm NPD Group.

Sales of video game hardware, mostly consoles, jumped 76 per cent to US$192.8 million (S$241.39 million) during the month compared to a year ago, more than offsetting a 10-per cent drop in sales of game software to US$227.9 million, NPD reported.

Overall video game sales rose 17 per cent to US$580.3 million from the same month last year, according to NPD.

PS4 was the top-selling console for the fourth consecutive month, followed by Microsoft's Xbox One.

"Titanfall" was the top-selling game, followed by "Call of Duty: Ghosts." NPD estimated that the total spent in the US on video games topped a billion dollars during the month after adding in rentals, mobile apps, social network play, subscriptions, digital downloads, and other non-traditional revenue channels.

Microsoft said Tuesday it would sell a reduced-price version of its Xbox One console without the Kinect motion detection system.

The move comes with Microsoft locked in a tough battle with Sony, which has been leading the game console market with its next-generation PlayStation 4.