It's been a rough month for Microsoft ($MSFT) and its Xbox One console. First, the live streaming platform Microsoft was using to compete with its rivals, Mixer, is being shut down this month. That also means any integration on PCs or Xboxes is now gone. Then, every Microsoft retail store around the world is shuttering, which means there are now fewer places to highlight and sell Microsoft's products, like the new Xbox coming out this holiday season.
Microsoft's main competitor in video games is Sony, ($SNE) whose PlayStation 5 just had its coming-out party only a few weeks ago that was the talk of the town. So the focus for gamers right now, and going forward, revolves around the PlayStation 4 and 5 — and the Nintendo ($TYO:7974) Switch. These two consoles are both selling like hotcakes thanks to a slowdown in production, shipping, and the second-hand market being ravenous.
Our best-selling games of June at GameStop ($GME) and on Amazon ($AMZN) reflect that no Xbox game topped the charts. Meanwhile, Nintendo continues to dominate the industry by having a really high attach rate of select games to a purchase of a new Switch console, which is mighty impressive considering some of these games (while classics) are about to be 3-4 years old soon.
Amazon
|
Name |
Category Rank (Avg) |
Platform |
|---|---|---|
|
The Last of Us Part II |
1.2 |
PlayStation 4 |
|
Animal Crossing: New Horizons |
3.1 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild |
7.8 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate |
12.7 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order |
13.7 |
PlayStation 4 |
|
Ghost of Tsushima |
14 |
PlayStation 4 |
|
Just Dance 2020 |
16 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
Ring Fit Adventure |
16 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
Marvel's Spider-Man |
19.2 | PlayStation 4 |
|
God of War |
19.4 | PlayStation 4 |
| Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | 20.6 | Nintendo Switch |
The biggest release of June was Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part II which already became the fastest-selling PS4 game of all time. That record will probably stand the test of time because once the PlayStation 5 comes out, everyone will migrate and stop caring about new releases on the PS4. It's just the circle of life in the gaming industry.
Otherwise, the same handful of titles sit upon the top 20, with the exception of two of July's biggest releases, Paper Mario: The Origami King and Ghost of Tsushima. It's safe to say that in the 2020 summer drought, these two will show up next month when we cover what sold well.
GameStop
|
Name |
Category Rank (Avg) |
Platform |
|---|---|---|
|
The Last of Us Part II |
6.3 |
PlayStation 4 |
|
Animal Crossing: New Horizons |
9.7 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
PlayStation VR Blood and Truth and Everybody Golf VR Bundle |
12.4 |
PlayStation 4 |
|
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate |
39.5 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe |
40.2 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
Paper Mario: The Origami King |
44.1 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
Luigi's Mansion 3 |
48.2 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
Pokemon Sword |
59.6 |
Nintendo Switch |
|
Super Mario Party |
62.2 | Nintendo Switch |
|
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe |
62.6 | Nintendo Switch |
| Super Mario Odyssey | 63.5 | Nintendo Switch |
And this GameStop list shows that new Switch owners are looking for games to get, meaning there's a de facto list of hits that Nintendo will sell with almost every new Switch console sold. This is the secret to Nintendo's success, making the best games in the world so that you are forced to buy them all because of their quality and popularity.
But clearly, Switch consoles are still selling well, people are able to get their hands on Ring Fit Adventure bundles, and maybe the production line is getting over the initial shock of COVID-19. Let's see if Nintendo can keep this momentum going throughout 2020, because there's no way Animal Crossing can sell forever. Right?
The best-sellers lists are based on sales-rank data reported by both companies every day throughout the month. Both lists have been edited to remove duplicate listings, gift cards, accessories, and other non-game items. Both lists had a cutoff: a minimum of 24 days on the best-sellers list. Some games were number 1 for a day or two, but then fell off, and that doesn't accurately represent what sold the best during the month.
About the Data:
Thinknum tracks companies using the information they post online - jobs, social and web traffic, product sales, and app ratings - and creates data sets that measure factors like hiring, revenue, and foot traffic. Data sets may not be fully comprehensive (they only account for what is available on the web), but they can be used to gauge performance factors like staffing and sales.