NPD August: Madden NFL 18 and Nintendo Switch Lead the Charts

Electronic Arts’ Madden NFL 18 takes the top spot in the North American charts according to the NPD Group. Not only the game tops the general list, but also the ones dedicated to PS4 and Xbox One titles. The charts, based on revenue and not sales, also showcase a strong entry at number 3 by Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, which was sold at a lower price than the average new release.

Grand Theft Auto V continues to impress with its performance, managing a stunning second place in the list. This is the 41st month the game spends in the top 10 of the NPD charts, which is 16 more than any other title in history.

Despite the new releases, the charts reflect a general year-to-year decline in most categories. Total video game sales, and video game software are down 2%, hardware sales are down 6%, while PC game software is down 23%. Accessories is actually the only category that increased its numbers by going up 10%, thanks to the sales of Xbox One S controllers, Turtle Beach headsets, Switch Pro controllers, and game cards.

NPD analyst Mat Piscatella also points out that software sales of the racing genre are up a stunning 80% year-to-date, mainly due to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Forza Horizon 3. This trend is expected to continue to the launch of Gran Turismo Sport on PS4.

On the other hand the shooter genre is experiencing a 30% decline, although that happens after the record numbers of 2016, and before seeing the performance of big titles like Destiny 2, Star Wars: Battlefront 2, and Call of Duty: WWII.

On the hardware chart, Nintendo Switch repeats at the top after Splatoon 2 boosted its sales in July. Nintendo’s hybrid console, along with the NES Classic Edition, is seen as the main factor of growth year-over-year of the hardware segment, although PS4 remains the top selling console in 2017.

August 2017 NPD Best Sellers

1. Madden NFL 18
2. Grand Theft Auto V
3. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
4. Splatoon 2*
5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*
6. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege
7. Mario Kart 8*
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered
9. Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy
10. Overwatch**
11. Injustice 2
12. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
13. Minecraft
14. For Honor
15. Call of Duty: Black Ops III
16. Agents Of Mayhem
17. Forza Horizon 3
18. Battlefield 1
19. NBA 2K17
20. UFC 2

2017 NPD Best Sellers

1. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
2. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*
3. Grand Theft Auto V
4. For Honor
5. Horizon Zero Dawn
6. Injustice 2
7. Mass Effect: Andromeda
8. Madden NFL 18
9. NBA 2K17
10. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard