Port Washington, NY — Total spending across video game hardware, content and accessories totaled $3.3 billion in August 2020, a 37 percent increase when compared to a year ago. Digital content on console platforms, mobile content and subscription spending were among the largest growth segments.

Year-to-date spending reached $29.4 billion, 23 percent higher than the same period in 2019. Content, hardware and accessory spending each increased by more than 20 percent when compared to the same period a year ago.

Video game content spending reached $2.9 billion in August 2020, increasing 37 percent when compared to a year ago.  Year-to-date content spending now exceeds $25.9 billion, a 22 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

Full-Game Dollar Sales Spotlight (Excludes Post-Launch Spending)
Madden NFL 21 was the best-selling title of August, with double-digit percentage dollar sales growth when compared to the release month of Madden NFL 20. Madden NFL 21 debuts as the #6 best-selling game year to date.

This is the 21st consecutive year that a Madden NFL franchise release has the best-selling game in its release month. Madden NFL is the best-selling sports (and third best-selling overall) video game franchise in U.S. history.

UFC 4 was the second best-selling game of the month, setting a new franchise launch month sales record for an Electronic Arts-published UFC title. UFC 4 ranked as the third best-selling game of August on both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

Final Fantasy VII: Remake returned to the top 20 best-selling titles chart (#19) in August after finishing 41st in July. The title was featured at a discounted price digitally on the PlayStation Store.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ranked as the sixth best-selling title on Nintendo Switch in August. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has ranked among the top 10 best sellers on Switch every month since its March 2017 launch – a period of 42 consecutive months, never placing lower than seventh. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the 10th best-selling game released on Nintendo platforms in U.S. tracked history.

Hardware
Hardware spending increased 37 percent in August 2020 when compared to a year ago, to $229 million. Nintendo Switch set a new U.S. August hardware dollar sales record, besting the August 2008 dollar sales of the Nintendo Wii. Nintendo Switch unit sales volume more than doubled when compared to a year ago.

Year-to-date spending on hardware increased 23 percent when compared to a year ago, to $2.0 billion

Accessories
Spending on accessories reached an August record of $166 million, increasing 42 percent when compared to a year ago. Year-to-date spending gained 26 percent to an all-time high of $1.4 billion.

Gamepad, headset/headphone and steering wheel spending each set new August and year-to-date U.S. sales records.

The PS4 DualShock 4 Wireless Controller Black was the best-selling accessory of August, while the Xbox Elite Series 2 Wireless Controller remained the best-selling accessory year to date.

The best-selling headset of both August, as well as 2020 year to date, was the Xbox One Ear Force Recon 70 Gaming Headset – Black from Turtle Beach.

The Logitech G920 Driving Force Racing Wheel for Xbox One was the best-selling steering wheel in August 2020, as well as year to date. 

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David Riley

Executive Director, Global Public Relations

m: 917.543.5465