The NPD Group has revealed the top ten best-selling games in the United States for the month of December, plus for the entirety of 2013.
Total software sales for the month were $1.28 billion (down 17% from $1.54 billion in December 2012), and hardware brought in $1.37 billion (up 28% from $1.07 billion last year).
The best-selling titles for the period between December 1, 2013 and January 4, 2014, in order, are:
For the year, game sales brought in $12.97 billion in 2013, down 2% from $13.27 billion in 2012. Total software sales were down 11% for the year, bringing in $6.34 billion in 2013 compared to $7.09 billion in 2012.
The top 10 best-selling games for 2013, in order, were:
According to NPD analyst Liam Callahan, “December 2013 marks the fifth month in a row for positive combined physical video game sales across hardware, software, and accessories.” He noted that the launch of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One drove console hardware sales “up over 50% compared to December 2012.”
Callahan says Grand Theft Auto V is “within striking distance of surpassing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as the highest selling game within the Grand Theft Auto franchise” after only four months on the market. He added that, “with the success of Grand Theft Auto V, the launch of Bioshock Infinite, as well as the continued popularity of the NBA 2K franchise, Take 2 Interactive was the top video game software publisher for 2013.”
“Part of the reason for the 17% decline in video game software sales was the poor performance of November launches in December 2013,” Callahan observed. “Specifically, there was a 27% dollar decline for sales of November 2013 launches in December 2013, compared to November 2012 launches in December 2012. Additionally, due to the success of December 2012 hit, Far Cry 3, December 2013 launches were down 85% compared to those games launching in December 2012.”
Meanwhile, “for the fifth year in a row, the standard 360 version of Call of Duty was the top-selling SKU for December,” Callahan noted. He also pointed out that, on an individual SKU basis (i.e., considering a single platform’s version of a game rather than rolling up sales of one game across all platforms), 2013 games that would have made the top 10 include Pokemon X, Pokemon Y, and The Last of Us. Minecraft for Xbox 360 would have made the December top 10 when considering individual SKUs.
In terms of hardware, 3DS led overall for all of 2013 (and for December) based on number of units sold, but Callahan noted that “with its $499.99 price point, the Xbox One led annual hardware sales on a dollars basis.” Callahan wrote that Xbox One led consoles sales in December, though he added that “PS4’s two-month total makes it the best selling console during the two-month launch window.” Wii U saw “its highest month for unit sales so far” in December 2013.
Commenting on the sales, Dan Race, senior director of corporate communications for Sony Computer Entertainment of America, said, “PlayStation 4 remains the cumulative leader for next gen console sales in the U.S. since the launch on November 15. We sold every PS4 available at retail in the U.S. and were out of stock in December due to overwhelming consumer demand. With more than 4.2 million PS4 systems sold worldwide, it’s clear that the PS4’s gaming and entertainment features are resonating with large audiences and we’re doing our best to provide additional inventory in all of the 53 countries where it’s available.”
Microsoft, meanwhile, reports that 908,000 Xbox Ones were sold in the US in December, along with 643,000 Xbox 360 consoles. In December, consumers spent a combined $1.39 billion on Xbox 360 and Xbox One hardware, software and accessories. “Fans continue to show their excitement for new generation Xbox One games, with U.S. consumers purchasing an average of 2.9 games per console since launch,” Microsoft said in a statement, noting that the figure refers to both retail and digital games.
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Total software sales for the month were $1.28 billion (down 17% from $1.54 billion in December 2012), and hardware brought in $1.37 billion (up 28% from $1.07 billion last year).
The best-selling titles for the period between December 1, 2013 and January 4, 2014, in order, are:
- Call Of Duty: Ghosts (360, PS3, XBO, PS4, NWU, PC)**
- Battlefield 4 (360, XBO, PS4, PS3, PC)
- Just Dance 2014 (WII, 360, NWU, XBO, PS3, PS4)**
- Madden NFL 25 (360, XBO, PS3, PS4)
- NBA 2K14 (360, PS3, PS4, XBO, PC)**
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (360, PS3, PS4, XBO, NWU, PC)**
- Grand Theft Auto V (360, PS3)**
- Lego Marvel Super Heroes (360, PS3, 3DS, XBO, PS4, NWU, PSV, PC)
- FIFA 14 (360, PS4, XBO, PS3, PSV)
- Skylanders SWAP Force (WII, 360, PS3, NWU, 3DS, XBO, PS4)**
For the year, game sales brought in $12.97 billion in 2013, down 2% from $13.27 billion in 2012. Total software sales were down 11% for the year, bringing in $6.34 billion in 2013 compared to $7.09 billion in 2012.
The top 10 best-selling games for 2013, in order, were:
- Grand Theft Auto V (360, PS3)**
- Call Of Duty: Ghosts (360, PS3, XBO, PS4, PC, NWU)**
- Madden NFL 25 (360, PS3, PS4, XBO)
- Battlefield 4 (360, PS3, XBO, PS4, PC)
- Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag (360, PS3, PS4, XBO, NWU, PC)**
- NBA 2K14 (360, PS3, PS4, XBO, PC)**
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II (360, PS3, NWU, PC)**
- Just Dance 2014 (WII, 360, NWU, XBO, PS3, PS4)**
- Minecraft (360)
- Disney Infinity (360, WII, PS3, NWU, 3DS)
According to NPD analyst Liam Callahan, “December 2013 marks the fifth month in a row for positive combined physical video game sales across hardware, software, and accessories.” He noted that the launch of PlayStation 4 and Xbox One drove console hardware sales “up over 50% compared to December 2012.”
Callahan says Grand Theft Auto V is “within striking distance of surpassing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as the highest selling game within the Grand Theft Auto franchise” after only four months on the market. He added that, “with the success of Grand Theft Auto V, the launch of Bioshock Infinite, as well as the continued popularity of the NBA 2K franchise, Take 2 Interactive was the top video game software publisher for 2013.”
“Part of the reason for the 17% decline in video game software sales was the poor performance of November launches in December 2013,” Callahan observed. “Specifically, there was a 27% dollar decline for sales of November 2013 launches in December 2013, compared to November 2012 launches in December 2012. Additionally, due to the success of December 2012 hit, Far Cry 3, December 2013 launches were down 85% compared to those games launching in December 2012.”
Meanwhile, “for the fifth year in a row, the standard 360 version of Call of Duty was the top-selling SKU for December,” Callahan noted. He also pointed out that, on an individual SKU basis (i.e., considering a single platform’s version of a game rather than rolling up sales of one game across all platforms), 2013 games that would have made the top 10 include Pokemon X, Pokemon Y, and The Last of Us. Minecraft for Xbox 360 would have made the December top 10 when considering individual SKUs.
In terms of hardware, 3DS led overall for all of 2013 (and for December) based on number of units sold, but Callahan noted that “with its $499.99 price point, the Xbox One led annual hardware sales on a dollars basis.” Callahan wrote that Xbox One led consoles sales in December, though he added that “PS4’s two-month total makes it the best selling console during the two-month launch window.” Wii U saw “its highest month for unit sales so far” in December 2013.
Commenting on the sales, Dan Race, senior director of corporate communications for Sony Computer Entertainment of America, said, “PlayStation 4 remains the cumulative leader for next gen console sales in the U.S. since the launch on November 15. We sold every PS4 available at retail in the U.S. and were out of stock in December due to overwhelming consumer demand. With more than 4.2 million PS4 systems sold worldwide, it’s clear that the PS4’s gaming and entertainment features are resonating with large audiences and we’re doing our best to provide additional inventory in all of the 53 countries where it’s available.”
Microsoft, meanwhile, reports that 908,000 Xbox Ones were sold in the US in December, along with 643,000 Xbox 360 consoles. In December, consumers spent a combined $1.39 billion on Xbox 360 and Xbox One hardware, software and accessories. “Fans continue to show their excitement for new generation Xbox One games, with U.S. consumers purchasing an average of 2.9 games per console since launch,” Microsoft said in a statement, noting that the figure refers to both retail and digital games.
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