LOS ANGELES — U.S. video gamers spent less on games, hardware and accessories in May compared with a year ago, a sign that this year’s release schedule couldn’t compete with Take Two Interactive’s “Grand Theft Auto IV” last spring.
The NPD Group said Thursday that spending fell 23 percent from last May to $863 million.
It was the first monthly tally below $1 billion since August 2007 and the third month in a row of year- over-year declines.
The best-selling title in May was THQ Inc.’s “UFC 2009 Undisputed,” which sold 679,600 units on Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360, and 334,400 on Sony Corp.’s PlayStation 3, for a total of just over 1 million.
“The video games industry continues to struggle with difficult comparisons to last year,” said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in a statement.
