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Switch Continues to Outsell PS5, Xbox Series X in US

By Noam Radcliffe

The Nintendo Switch continues to rule the US gaming hardware market.
The Nintendo Switch continues to rule the US gaming hardware market. / Photo courtesy of Nintendo

The Switch outsold the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X again in February amid a greater increase in video game spending, per market research firm NPD Group. It remains the best-selling console in the U.S. in terms of unit sales and dollars spent.

Total game spending, including hardware, software, and accessories, reached $4.6 billion last month, per NPD Group. That's a 35% increase over the same time last year. Year-to-date spending followed a similar jump, up 39% to $9.3 billion.

Hardware spending had a particularly strong month, rising 121% compared to February 2020 for a total of $406 million. That made it the biggest February since 2011, which hit $468 million. The Switch is a major reason for that success, contributing to $724 million in year-to-date hardware spending — a 130% increase over last year.

Including February's sales figures, the Switch is now the second-best selling Nintendo console in the US, behind only the Wii.

Although it can't compete in total sales, the PS5 remains the fastest-selling hardware platform in US history. It was the second-best selling console in February, despite manufacturing hardships afflicting both it and the Xbox Series X.

NPD also released the top 10 best selling video games of February, and the best selling game of the year so far. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury dominated February, knocking Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War out of the top spot even without data for its digital sales. Cold War remains top dog in year-to-date sales. See the full lists below.

Top 10 Selling Video Games of February 2021

  1. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (First month on the list; digital sales excluded)
  2. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (Rank last month: 1)
  3. Persona 5: Strikers (First month on the list)
  4. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (Rank last month: 3)
  5. Madden NFL 21 (Rank last month: 4)
  6. Little Nightmares II (First month on the list)
  7. Assassin's Creed: Valhalla (Rank last month: 7)
  8. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe (Rank last month: 6; digital sales excluded)
  9. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Rank last month: 5; digital sales excluded)
  10. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (Rank last month: 8)

Top 10 Selling Video Games Year-to-Date

  1. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
  2. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (digital sales excluded)
  3. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
  4. Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
  5. Madden NFL 21
  6. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe (digital sales excluded)
  7. Animal Crossing: New Horizons (digital sales excluded)
  8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
  9. Persona 5: Strikers
  10. Ring Fit Adventure
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