Console sales down by a third in 2012

Sales of video games consoles in 2012 fell 33.1 per cent year-on-year.

Handheld sales dropped 31.3 per cent, despite the arrival of PlayStation Vita and 3DS XL. The portable sector is a market potentially hit by the booming sales of tablets and smartphones.

Home console sales were down by 34.1 per cent. Xbox 360 was still the No.1 selling console by a significant margin. However, PS3’s annual decline was less severe than its competitors.

All consoles (aside from Vita and Wii U which launched last year) sold fewer units in 2012 than in 2011.

Data is courtesy of UKIE/GfK Chart-Track.