27 months and counting… Xbox 360 leads U.S. in sales for March 2013

For the 27th consecutive month, the Xbox 360 is the number one console in the U.S. Microsoft revealed yesterday, as part of The NPD Group's sales report, that 261,000 Xbox 360 units had been sold in March. Total retail spend for the platform — hardware, software, and accessories included — reached $402 million, the most of any console in the U.S.

"In March 2013, the Xbox 360 had the highest hardware unit sales for the 20th month in a row," The NPD Group reported. Xbox 360 held six of the top 10 console game titles including: BioShock Infinite and Tomb Raider which were the two best-sellers in March. Although specific software numbers weren't mentioned, Gears of War: Judgment was the third best-seller. Despite perception, analysts feel the title "significantly underperformed," selling less than its predecessor, Gears of War 3.

Microsoft will look to continue its dominance in the U.S. as the company is likely preparing for the expected unveiling of the next-Xbox. However, it looks like Microsoft will face much stiffer competition in the next-generation as the Xbox 360's successor will have to overcome a growing mobile market and possible consoles from Apple and Valve. Let's also not forget about Sony's PlayStation 4 which showed plenty of promise during its reveal event.