Software sales are suddenly skyrocketing this year, thanks to Rockstar’s mega-hit Grand Theft Auto V, which sold $1B in its first 72 hours. The year had been slow for software sales til GTA5 was released.
According to the NPD Group, console and handheld software sales are expected to total $910M, which is 83% higher than it was at this time last year.
GTA5 will have some company in giving the industry a jolt of income, as FIFA 14, NBA 2K14, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, Call of Duty: Ghosts and Battlefield 4 will burst onto the scene soon.
Console sales are down, as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 sold 145K and 175K units respectively. The sales are suppressed by the next-gen debut next month.