Pachter: System and Handheld Sales Down 38 Percent, Price Drops Expected

Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter stated that he expects the upcoming NPD report to mention US retail sales down 23 percent to $200 million, with hardware sales down 38 percent year-on-year. Pachter also predicted that enthusiasm for the current gen systems is being eroded by upcoming next-gen consoles like Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

Pacther expects that the Nintendo Wii U will have sold 30,000 units, being down by 29 percent month-over-month (compared to the Wii’s 35,000 units). He also believes that price cuts and bundles will be the order of the day as the holiday season rolls around.

“We expect the prices for the PS3 and Xbox 360 to drop by at least $50, with the Wii dropping to $99. Nintendo may look to spur Wii U sales through either a price drop of $50 or a bundle that includes some of its more popular software, particularly if an improved release slate doesn’t spur console sales.”

Pachter also predicts that games like Animal Crossing: New Leaf, NCAA Football 14, The Last of Us and Minecraft will be leading the sales charge in the NPD report.