August 2016 NPD: Madden, No Man’s Sky lift summer game spending

August isn’t typically a major month for consumer spending on consoles and software, but 2016 saw some growth last month thanks to big name games.

Consumers spent $573.4 million on new game-related products in the United States in August, according to market research firm The NPD Group. That’s a 1 percent improvement over the $568.6 million in August 2015. The industry can thank Xbox One S as well as blockbuster releases from Electronic Arts, Square Enix, and even an indie developer for putting an end to a rough season for game spending.