June retail video game sales expected to be a dud

U.S. video game sales for the month of June are expected to be down 34 percent compared to a year ago, according to a forecast released overnight by analyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities.

Sales are a closely watched barometer of the health of the traditional game industry; they do not include some of the fastest-growing parts of the game industry, such as social, mobile, and online games. Market researcher NPD is expected to report final numbers for the physical sales of games Thursday. Year to date overall retail game industry sales are down 25 percent.

[Karooo]

Yeah, industry declining.

[jamezrp]

There's nothing coming out. Surprise surprise.

[JeffGrubb]

Well, the mass power outage in the northeast probably didn't help.

[roblef]

"Sales are a closely watched barometer of the health of the traditional game industry; they do not include some of the fastest-growing parts of the game industry, such as social, mobile, and online games. "

Exactly. Stop freaking out, Pachter.

[HamburgerBuns]

Yeah, but those parts don't make as much money as traditional gaming.