According to a Reuters report citing research firm NPD, overall U.S. video games sales rose by 25 percent in June to a total worth of ?844.5 million. Meanwhile video game software sales alone increased by 15 percent to ?444.4 million, with hardware sales rising from ?200.7 million in June 2005 to ?297.8 million this year.

"It?s as if consumers woke up and decided to start gaming again," said NPD analyst Anita Frazier. "Normally, we expect good things in June with graduation and Father?s Day gifts helping to spur retail sales, but this performance goes beyond typical lift from those occasions."