The first few months of 2022 have seen the video game industry struggle with sales, with a drop in figures month-on-month. Now the NPD Group has officially reported that this trend looks to continue, although there's some good news for Nintendo in the midst of this.
NPD analyst Mat Piscatella predicts that the Switch will be the best-selling console of the year, gameindustry.biz reports. That's probably not too shocking to read given the hybrid console's success over the years, but it's good to see given the competition from this year's big video game release — Elden Ring — which is leading the individual game charts. Though Piscatella still predicts that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will take the top spot.
There are some heavy Nintendo hitters in that predicted top ten list, however — both Pokémon Legends: Arceus and the upcoming Pokémon Scarlet & Violet are predicted to make the cut, as are multiplatform giants LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and September's NBA 2K23. These are just predictions for now, but Nintendo does have a couple of big releases coming in the second half of the year, so we'll have to wait and see what changes.
In general, however, video game spending has declined by 8.7% in the US market, likely affected by chip and stock shortages, the increase in the cost of living, and a "lighter release slate of games", says Piscatella.
Let's see where the rest of 2022 takes us, Nintendo, and the Switch then, hey?
[source npd.com, via gamesindustry.biz]
Comments (23)
Hoping for that rumor Metroid Prime Remaster for Switch this year. Would be cool if they released Wind Waker HD and Twilight Princess HD on Switch soon.
People would be inclined to point to the chip shortage and say the PS5 would have sold more if things were normal.
No.
The Switch is King and would still be King even if things were normal. More people are going to play Pokémon Violet than GoW2, that's for sure.
And here in the US, the Xbox will overtake by the end of the year, which is wild to even think about.
Xenoblade 3, Nier, Persona 5, Pokemon Violet, and Sonic Frontiers. Are the main games I'm looking forward to this year, if anything changes as far as Prime Remaster, then that will be there too.
Switch continues to be projected #1 and yet some folks think the successor is right around the corner. Pfft, fools.
I mean, Pokémon and God of War come out in the same month. Those alone could lead to huge gains over 2021. Overall, anyway.
@Magician : I've said the same of a potential Mario Kart 9. It makes no sense to release a new installment when the 8 year old instalment is still dominating the charts all these years later (and at full, if not near full price!).
I'm not surprised game spending is down.
There's been very little worth buying at full price.
"Though Piscatella still predicts that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will take the top spot."
...
"2022 proj top 10 best-selling premium games (alphabetical): Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Elden Ring,..."
So basically, any of those 10 could be the top seller this year. Thanks for posting this. It's good to have Nintendo successful again.
They really need to release more games. Good, widely appealing first party titles.
Here are a few suggestions:
Style Savvy
Nintendogs
Tomodachi Life
Super Mario Classics: the first 3-4 Super Mario games with a fresh coat of paint and new features, like the way Sonic games have been done.
@Royalblues With the Xbox in particular, I think it's a bit hypocritical to hear YouTubers bemoan and complain about some games not getting physical releases, and then they say they are going to play this release on XBox Game Pass, a digital only service. It is clear that the momentum behind Xbox over PS5 is about the service. But the irony of this crowd is not lost on me.
@thinkhector Eh, YouTubers aren't the majority, and I don't listen to them anyway. Your comment just seems like you want to come up with excuses, but regardless, success is still success, and should be recognized. It's just when it comes to Xbox, people like to make undue noise as if it makes them look cool to everyone else. I brush those aside. There's still tons of people on the platform and a lot of games releasing there.
I myself buy physical copies of games that come with collector's editions like AI 2 and Yakuza 7.
Besides, it's already been proven that the presence of a game on Game Pass drives sales. When it leaves the service, it goes on sale at a discount, which entices many people. And if all I get for buying a physical game that isn't an LE release is extra plastic under my TV, then yeah, I'd rather just play the game on GP.
@Alphacoolpatriot
Me to, I like big AAA games and Metroid and Zelda would do that for me and I think we need something like this for the Christmas period.
I picked up an Xbox Series S a few weeks ago and have been very happy with it. It allows me to play certain games that I know are never coming to the Switch like Elden Ring and Psychonauts 2. Having said that, I find that I still prefer the Switch version of a game if it's an option.
@Royalblues That to me is the biggest issue with games-as-a-service. Xbox Games Pass games leaving the service, and now we see the same thing happening with Sony as PlayStation 3 games have been leaving the service. Eventually Nintendo will shut down the Expansion Pass and those games will leave. And games in trh Clouds will be shut down and those will disappear. Sony and Microsoft made a mistake this time with giving people both physical editions and digital only editions. Next time there won't be physical game consoles at all. It's just a matter of time.
@thinkhector I hear what you're saying... Microsoft and Nintendo are future-proofing themselves now, and Sony is trying to, but they're a little slower in this regard, but your point on there being no physical consoles, I think I'll have to agree with that.
One could say that as long as people want collector's editions or what-have-you, there will be a demand for physical consoles, but there are already CE versions of games that don't come with physical media. Just a digital code. We'll see that more often as time goes on. I think by the time of the PS7, or the mid 2030s we'll no longer be seeing physical media consoles. Think about it. The majority of gamers by then would have been born in the year 2015, and those people don't care about their TV sets. They can consume media wherever the heck they want and that's why Microsoft, Nintendo etc. are futureproofing right now.
As to your point about games leaving GP/PSN etc... That mostly depends on the individual publisher, and while it is a true bummer for the games to leave the service, I think their presence does more good than the eventuality that they do leave the service would do harm.
For me, I wouldn't have played AI: The Somnium Files if it weren't for GP. I still have no intention to buy it, but I do want to try to complete it before it leaves the service. If I can do that, I'll consider that an accomplishment, as I would not go back to that game. I did however buy the Collector's Edition of the second one on Xbox because of the spolight that being on the service shone on it.
My bad. Rambling.
tl:dr... Yes, digital only is going to be the future, but it's still a ways out. More than a decade at least, but when it comes, be ready.
@Royalblues That's crazy that you mentioned AI: The Somnium Files, I just bought that game! It wasn't even on my radar, but I was looking at the games that were part of the BIG sale, and people kept mentioning that game. Luckily, it had a demo, so I was also able try it out before buying.
Very cool game. Very dark in it's story. Normally I don't look for visual novels, but I like to try new things. I can't say for sure it has replay value, but there is definitely some content then can only been seen by making different choices. Might be minor things though. I'm surprised that the whole game was voice acted, I thought it was going to be reading most of it. They should really call it a visual-audio book.
@Royalblues Switch is an outdated system has been since release... Not even in the running when comparing it to the other 2.. if you weren't such a fan boy you'd agree, since it's common sense and logic...Only thing it's good for is Nintendo IPs but they don't even make those anymore... BTW Pcmasterrace is King 👑, and never forget it..
@thinkhector Have you played their other games? I've seen playthroughs of the Zero Escape games years ago, but I'm just now trying them. It's nice because they're puzzle games, and it's been so long that I've forgotten all the puzzles. They've also done the Danganronpa games, of which I've watched the first two and played the third one. Loved all of those games. They're really good when it comes to puzzle/murder mystery games. I liked all of their games before I knew that they were all made by the same team.
@NolandC Lol.
@NolandC Well I hate to tell you this, but more people play games on mobile than PC
or Console. Apple is the largest video game publisher by revenue. I'm not saying gaming on a phone is better, it's just that it's #1 right now. More people actually own a smartphone than own a PC.
Yes, but mobile gaming isn't really gaming now is it... all mobile gaming is Pw2 garbage, and everyone knows it..
@NolandC So you say Switch is outdated but end up praising PC (Personal Console)? That's like ripping on McDonalds while eating a Big Mac.
@Kiyata is this sarcasm?????
The new switch needs its own internet connection plan if it really wants to stay competitive. Similar to Ipad
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