The NPD Group – U.S. Games Industry Sales – January 2021
January 2021 consumer spending across video game hardware, content and accessories reached a January record $4.7 billion, 42% higher when compared to a year ago.
Hardware
Sales of video game hardware were 144% higher than January 2020, reaching $319 million. This is the highest total for a January month since the $323 million achieved in January 2011.
Nintendo Switch was the best-selling hardware platform in units sold for the month of January. Unit sales of Nintendo Switch were the highest of any platform in a January month since the Nintendo Wii in January 2010.
PlayStation 5 was the best-selling hardware platform in dollars sold in January, with the highest dollar sales total for a January month since the Nintendo Wii in January 2009.
Full Game Dollar Sales Spotlight (Excludes Post Launch Spending)
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War was January’s best-selling game. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War has been the best-selling game in the U.S. each month since its November launch, and it now ranks as the 20th best-selling video game in U.S. tracked history (lifetime dollar sales).
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla was the 2nd best-selling game of January. When comparing each title’s first three months of sales, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla is now the 2nd fastest-selling Assassin’s Creed franchise release in U.S. history, trailing only Assassin’s Creed III.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons ranked as January’s 5th best-selling title, the first time it has ranked among the top 5 best-selling games of the month since ranking 5th in July 2020. Animal Crossing: New Horizons repeated as the month’s best-selling title on Nintendo Switch.
Accessories
Spending on video game accessories reached a January record $222 million, 73% higher when compared to a year ago. The Gamepad, Headset/Headphone and Steering Wheel segments all achieved new January dollar sales records.
The PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller White was the best-selling accessory of January, while the PlayStation Pulse 3D Wireless Headset White was the best-selling Headset/Headphone.
