Last week, research firm NPD Group reported that U.S. retail sales of video game hardware, software and accessories fell for a seventh consecutive month. The latest monthly report comes as companies in the video games industry prepare to release their earnings reports for the latest quarter. The results will generally cover the April-June period, though many companies in the industry have fiscal quarters that depart from that.
Here’s a look at reports and results for selected companies that make or sell video games. Dates for many companies, including Electronic Arts Inc., are not yet known.
— July 12: NPD Group reports that U.S. retail sales of video game hardware, software and accessories fell 29 percent in June to $700 million. It’s the seventh consecutive month of decline. Sales of console and portable software — the video games themselves — fell 29 percent from a year earlier, while sales of hardware fell 45 percent. Sales of accessories grew 4 percent. Excluded are sales of used games and rentals as well as digital and social-network spending.
Coming up:
— Thursday: Microsoft Corp.
— July 25: Nintendo Co.
— July 31: Take-Two Interactive Software Inc.
— Aug. 2: Sony Corp., Activision Blizzard Inc.
