Switch was the best-selling console in the US in August

Total video game spending in the US fell two per cent year-on-year to $568m this August, following declines in both hardware and software spending, according to the latest data from NPD.

On the hardware front, spending growth generated by the Switch (which remained the best-selling piece of hardware last month) was offset by declines in both Xbox One and legacy platforms, causing hardware spending to full six per cent year-on-year to $168m.

The Switch has now been the best-selling platform in four of the six months since it launched back in March, but the PS4 continues to be the best-selling hardware platform to date, having beaten the Switch in both May and June.

"Year to date, hardware spending has grown 17 per cent versus 2016 to $1.7 billion," said NPD’s video game industry analyst Mat Piscatella. "Consumer spending on Nintendo Switch and Plug N Play devices such as the NES Classic are providing growth."

On the software side, Madden NFL 18 took the No.1 spot in August, allowing EA to become the best-selling publisher of the month. Meanwhile, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy debuted at No.3, but NPD notes that its position only takes into account sales of the standalone title, not sales that were included as part of the Uncharted 4 digital deluxe edition or as part of the Uncharted 4 Explorer’s Pack.

Grand Theft Auto, on the other hand, has now been on the market 49 months and has achieved 41 Top 10 appearances, according to NPD – that’s 16 times more than any other single title in reported history. It’s also "the all-time best-selling game in both revenue and units in tracked sales across PC, console and portable with digital and packaged combined."

That said, software sales were down three per cent year-on-year overall in August, reaching $282m. Year to date, however, sales are down less than one per cent compared to this time last year and currently stand at $2.9bn.

NPD also notes that consumer sales in the racing genre have grown more than 80 per cent in 2017 so far, driven (pardon the pun) largely by Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the Switch and Forza Horizon 3 on Xbox One. The shooter genre, however, has dropped by 30 per cent in 2017 so far after 2016’s record-high spending in the genre. That said, the shooter genre is still the third highest of all-time, says NPD.

Accessories, meanwhile, grew 10 per cent year-on-year in August to $118m, with the Xbox One S White Wireless controller becoming the best-selling accessory. Year to date, however, the Switch Pro Controller is the best-seller.

Here are the Top 10 Games ranked on dollar sales for August:

1. Madden NFL 18 (EA)
2. Grand Theft Auto (Take-Two)
3. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy (Sony)
4. Splatoon 2 (Nintendo)
5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo)
6. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (Ubisoft)
7. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo)
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered (Activision Blizzard)
9. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy (Activision Blizzard)
10. Overwatch (Activision Blizzard)