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http://www.gamespot.com/news/6254421.html?om_act=convert&om_clk=topstory&tag=topstory;more

 

Citing NPD figures, megaretailer gives estimate of domestic installed base; 112 million current-generation devices owned; DS & Wii top platforms.

As part of its annual earnings report today, game megaretailer GameStop revealed that nearly a quarter of its non-used business for the year came from Nintendo. It also revealed its estimates of the installed base of handhelds and consoles in the United States--a number which is over two thirds of the country's 307 million-person population (as of July 2009).

 

Citing "reports published by NPD Group," the industry-tracking firm which is the standard for US game sales, GameStop "believes that" over 220 million gaming handhelds and consoles have been purchased in the US as of December 2009. Of those, some 112 million are of the current generation of handheld and console hardware, which began in 2004 with the launch of the DS and 2005 with the Xbox 360's debut.

As the country is reminded every month when NPD releases its US sales figures, the DS remains the most popular platform to this day, having sold 38.6 million units domestically by GameStop's estimate. Coming in second is the handheld's console sibling, the Wii (released in 2006), with 27.1 million units. In third is the Xbox 360 with 18.6 million units, just ahead of the PSP (released in 2005) with 16.8 million units. Bringing up the rear is the PlayStation 3 with 11.1 million units sold since it launched in 2006, within days of the Wii's debut.

 

US CONSOLE & HANDHELD INSTALLED BASES (GameStop estimate)

Total consoles & handhelds: 220 million units

Current-generation consoles & handhelds: 112 million units

DS: 38.6 million units

Wii: 27.1 million units

Xbox 360: 18.6 million units

PSP: 16.8 million units

PlayStation 3: 11.1 million units