Mat Piscatella, Video Game Industry Advisor and Executive Director for the NPD Group, tweeted a thread regarding NPD February 2022 sales numbers.
In a surprise to nobody, Elden Ring was the month’s top-selling game. Horizon II: Forbidden West took the second spot, with Pokemon Legends: Arceus rounding out the top three. This wasn’t even close, either. Elden Ring is already the top five best-selling game of the year, one spot ahead of Pokemon Legends.
The entire top ten for the NPD February 2022 is as follows:
| Rank | Rank Last Month | Title | Publisher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NEW | Elden Ring | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| 2 | NEW | Horizon II: Forbidden West | Sony (Corp) |
| 3 | 1 | Pokemon Legends: Arceus* | Nintendo |
| 4 | NEW | Dying Light 2: Stay Human | Square Enix Inc (Corp) |
| 5 | NEW | Total War: Warhammer III | Sega |
| 6 | 2 | Call of Duty: Vanguard | Activision Blizzard (Corp) |
| 7 | 4 | Madden NFL 22 | Electronic Arts |
| 8 | 8 | Mario Kart 8* | Nintendo |
| 9 | 7 | FIFA 22 | Electronic Arts |
| 10 | 13 | Minecraft | Multiple Video Game Manufacturers |
*Digital sales not included
It’s been a solid start to the year, and the NPD February 2022 featuring four new games in the top five reflects that. Mario Kart 8, the game that will not die, has a new DLC coming next week. I’d be shocked if that didn’t boost the sales for the title even further.
One interesting note to consider is that 2022 year-to-date spending is down compared to last year. Piscatella mentions supply issues with console hardware being a contributing factor to this.
March should be another busy month for video games. Mario Kart 8 DLC, Gran Turismo 7, next-gen Grand Theft Auto V, Kirby and the forgotten Land, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands are all releasing this month. Will Elden Ring still be the best-selling game of the year, or will a new contender take the crown? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
