NPD Group: $2.88 billion spent on video games in U.S. for Q2 2013

According to a report from The NPD Group, consumers in the United States spent a total of $2.88 billion on video game content during the second quarter of 2013.

Breaking the numbers down by category, The NPD Group found that $769 million was spent on new physical video and PC game software, while consumer spend on other physical forms of content (used and rental) reached $343 million. Perhaps the most not-so-shocking number, given the direction the industry is headed, is that content in digital format — full game and add-on content downloads, subscriptions, mobile games, and social network games — generated $1.77 billion.

The overall consumer spent represents a 3 percent drop when compared to the $2.97 billions pent in Q2 2012; however, The NPD Group maintains that the decrease is mostly a result of consumer anticipation for the new consoles set to release later this year.

“The decrease in new physical spending is partly due to the decline in the number of new SKU’s released at retail, (with 37% fewer new SKUs in Q2’13 compared to Q2’12) which is to be expected as developers, publishers and consumers alike prepare for the next hardware generation,” said Liam Callahan, industry analyst, The NPD Group.

“Increases in digital format spending offset nearly all the losses from the declines in physical format spending, with digital full game downloads and downloadable content spending experiencing a combined 27 percent increase (when compared to Q2’12). Spending increases occurred across both video games and PC games in the digital format," he added.

The PlayStation 4 is set to release on November 15th for $399, while the Xbox One will launch a week later on November 22nd for $499.