U.S. video game sales rise 47 percent in April -NPD

SAN FRANCISCO, May 15 (Reuters) - U.S. sales of video game hardware and software hit $1.23 billion in April, up 47 percent from a year earlier, as Take-Two Interactive Software Inc's (TTWO.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) "Grand Theft Auto 4" and Nintendo Co Ltd's (7974.OS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Wii console stole the show.

Nintendo's Wii remained the best-selling console, selling 714,000 units, far more than Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Xbox 360 and Sony Corp's (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) PlayStation 3 combined, data from market research firm NPD showed on Thursday.

"Grand Theft Auto 4" was the top game for a single console, selling 1.85 million copies for the Xbox 360, and another 1 million copies on the PS3, NPD said. (Reporting by Scott Hillis, editing by Phil Berlowitz)