Console Game Sales Suffer

According to this story at ZDNet, video game sales declined in 2000, presumably due to the introduction of the Dreamcast at the end of 1999, the subsequent release of the Neo Geo Pocket Color a few months later and the PSOne / PlayStation 2 making it onto store shelves in the Autumn / Winter shopping season. After what is described as five years of "explosive growth," analysts are reporting a drop in sales, and blaming the consoles themselves. Another culprit is apparently the "wait-and-see" attitude adopted by some gamers in light of the new console releases. Many people feel uncomfortable buying both the Dreamcast and its new rival, and would rather wait to see who comes out on top before committing. With new consoles hitting the ground at £300 or more a pop, this proves unsurprising. The NPD Group Inc., have conducted a study of the market, released today, which claims that sales of consoles, games and accessories fell from $6.9 billion in 1999 to some $6.5 billion in 2000, a 5.8% drop. With the Xbox, GameCube and GameBoy Advance on the horizon, the trend may well continue.