Video Game Sales Sizzle in April

SAN FRANCISCO -- The video games industry grew 47% in April compared to the same month a year ago, reaching $1.23 billion in sales of game devices, software and accessories.

The strong sales were led by the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV title, according to the monthly video games sales data from research firm, The NPD Group.

Nintendo's blockbuster hit console Wii continued to outsell its rivals by a wide margin, even as Sony's(SNE) PlayStation 3 ran head to head with

Microsoft's(MSFT) Xbox 360 console during the month.

Microsoft sold 188,000 Xbox 360 units last month, down from 262,000 units in March, while Sony sold 187,100 PS3 consoles in April compared with 257,000 boxes the month before. The Xbox 360 was released a year before PS3's 2006 launch. Sony's older PS2 console sold 124,400 boxes, down from 216,000 consoles in March.

Only Nintendo saw sales rise to 714,200 Wiis in April compared with 698,000, the month before.

"As retail supplies become more plentiful we're seeing continued sales strength of Wii hardware," said Anita Frazier, an analyst with the NPD Group in a statement.

"With a couple of blockbuster games already in the market this year, and with Wii Fit ( a new peripheral from Nintendo for the Wii) and Electronic Arts'(ERTS) Rock Band for the Wii still to come in the next two months, the pipeline of content to drive hardware acquisition (for Nintendo) looks very good," said Frazier.

As expected Take-Two(TTWO) grabbed the top spot on the video game charts with Grand Theft Auto IV, which sold a total of 2.85 million copies across the PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles.