Switch was top in the US for December and 2022, as was Modern Warfare 2 – NPD

3 weeks ago

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The NPD has released its December 2022 and full year industry report on US accessory, hardware and video game sales.

According to the data, consumer spending was $7.6 billion in December, up 2% year-on-year (yoy). This growth brought full-year 2022 spending to $56.6 billion, a 5% decrease from 2021.

Modern Warfare 2 launch trailer

The year-over-year decline was attributed to the lack of retail console inventory and a smaller slate of new triple-A releases, along with macroeconomic conditions.

in december, hardware spending grew 16% yoy to total $1.5 billion.

This brought total spending for 2022 to $6.6 billion, an 8% increase over 2021. PlayStation 5 was the best-selling platform for December and the year in dollar sales, while Switch sold the most units in December 2022 and the the whole year through.

Software sales down 1% yoy, totaling $1.5 billion for December. The growth in digital content spending did not offset the decline in subscription and physical software spending.

Full-year gaming spending was down 7% yoy to $47.5 billion.

The best-selling games for December were Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, God of War Ragnarok, Madden NFL 23, and FIFA 23.

For 2022, the best-selling game was Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Elden Ring, Madden NFL 23, God of War Ragnarok, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.

The best-selling games by platform for December and 2022 can be found in the gallery below (thanks, Matt Piscatella).

Best-selling games of December 2022 and 2022

accessories revenue fell 2% yoy to $503 million in December. A 50% increase in Steering Wheels sales failed to offset declines in other accessory segments.

For 2022, spending on accessories was $2.5 billion, which is an 8% decrease from 2021. The Xbox Elite Series 2 wireless controller was the best-selling accessory in December and the year in dollar sales.

In the mobile sector, according to Sensor Tower, December saw an increase in spending, with the biggest month-over-month (mom) gains in December from geolocation games (Pokémon Go) up 17%, simulation games (Roblox) up 15%, action titles (Genshin Impact) at 15% and shooters (Call of Duty Mobile) at 14%.

For the year, mobile gaming spending in the US was down yoy, but casino gaming spending was up 1% compared to a 26% yoy decline in shooters.