NPD: 2019 Is a Record Year for Fighting Game Sales

Still, Modern Warfare dominated October and the year.

News by Mathew Olson, Reporter

Updated on 15 November 2019

The big news out of October is that Call of Duty, once again, has come out on top. NPD's video game sales report for last month confirms that Modern Warfare has already become the best selling game of 2019 so far, and kept the Call of Duty's chart topping in its release month streak alive for a twelfth year running.

Call of Duty's continued dominance isn't the only takeaway from October, though. NPD analyst Mat Piscatella highlights two other intriguing stats: First, driven largely by Mortal Kombat 11's dominant performance in late Spring and steady sales of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, 2019 has broken the previous record for year-to-date fighting game sales.

US NPD SW - Year-to-date sales of fighting genre games are at an all-time high, with genre sales 11 percent higher than the previous year-to-date high set in 2015. Both Mortal Kombat 11 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate have significantly contributed to that success. pic.twitter.com/P5aUUr5XrQ
— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) November 14, 2019

Second, the PlayStation 4 is now the third fastest-selling home console of all time behind the Wii and PlayStation 2. Just last month, the PlayStation 4 crossed 102.8 million units sold, putting it in second place on the list of all-time best selling consoles.

Here's the top 10 for October, sorted by console and ordered first through tenth:

Overall Top 10 Games For October 2019

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
The Outer Worlds
Luigi's Mansion 3*
Madden NFL 20
NBA 2K20
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint
WWE 2K20
FIFA 20
Borderlands 3
Ring Fit Adventure

Top 10 PS4 Games For October 2019

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
The Outer Worlds
NBA 2K20
Madden NFL 20
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint
WWE 2K20
FIFA 20
Borderlands 3
Mortal Kombat 11
Grand Theft Auto V

Top 10 Xbox One Games For October 2019

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint
Madden NFL 20
The Outer Worlds
NBA 2K20
Borderlands 3
WWE 2K20
FIFA 20
Grand Theft Auto V
Gears 5

Top 10 Nintendo Switch Games For October 2019

Luigi's Mansion 3*
Ring Fit Adventure
The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening*
Mario Kart 8*
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*
Overwatch
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt*
Super Mario Maker 2*
New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe*

*-Digital Sales not included.

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Mathew Olson

Reporter

Mathew Olson is a writer formerly of Digg, where he blogged and reported about all things under the umbrella of internet culture (including games, of course). He lives in New York, grew up under rain clouds and the influence of numerous games studios in the Pacific Northwest, and will talk your ear off about Half-Life mods, Talking Heads or Twin Peaks if you let him.