2003 in video games

See also: 2002 in video gaming, other events of 2003, 2004 in video gaming and the timeline of video games

Trends

Computer games continue to lose ground to console video games with a US sales drop of 14% in 2003. (NPD) Total 2003 entertainment software sales in the United States grew slightly to $7 billion USD; console sales increased to $5.8 billion and computer games accounted for the remaining $1.2 billion. (ESA)

Video game consoles

Two new handheld consoles were introduced in 2003: The Game Boy Advance SP (an improved GBA-compatible device) and Nokia's N-Gage.

The dominant consoles in 2003 were:

• Sony's PlayStation 2
• Nintendo's GameCube
• Microsoft's Xbox
• Nintendo's Game Boy Advance

Top-selling games

The top 10 selling console video games in 2003 in the United States ranked by units sold, according to NPD, were:

1. Madden NFL 2004, published by Electronic Arts, for PlayStation 2
2. Pokémon Ruby, Nintendo of America, Game Boy Advance
3. Pokémon Sapphire, Nintendo of America, Game Boy Advance, which of course

 nearly holds the same position of Pokémon Ruby

1. Need for Speed: Underground, Electronic Arts, PS2
2. The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, Nintendo of America, GameCube
3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, Rockstar Games, PS2
4. Mario Kart: Double Dash, Nintendo of America, GameCube
5. Tony Hawk's Underground, Activision, PS2
6. Enter the Matrix, Atari, PS2
7. Medal of Honor: Rising Sun, Electronic Arts, PS2