We are cheerfully sliding the February slope – but we cannot avoid looking back to everything that 2017 brought to us. From new consoles to highly-expected titles, all while crossing through some turbulent waters here and there (debates on microtransactions and loot boxes anyone?). And while we already laid down our TGF’s Top 10 Games of 2017 list, we never really stopped to look at how the industry is scoring when it comes to the dolla-dollas.
This is what we are doing today with this list of best-selling games across all platforms. Please note that this particular record refers to games sold in the United States only. All figures come from the industry data firm The NPD Group and include both retail and digital sales from developers and publishers who chose to share that data. In-game purchases are not counted here.
Now that presentations have been made, let’s get down to business. *Drum rolls and rolls*. Ladies and gentlemen, here are the best-selling games of 2017:
- Call of Duty: WWII
- NBA 2K18
- Destiny 2 **
- Madden NFL 18
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild *
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
- Star Wars: Battlefront II **
- Super Mario Odyssey *
- Mario Kart 8 *
* Digital sales not included
** PC digital sales not included
Shoot Me Everything
We can almost hear the big bosses at Activision rubbing their hands with glee. And with good reason, of course. The Call of Duty saga remains unbeatable and one of the most prolific and profitable series of the gaming scene. Call of Duty: WWII has crowned their own sales’ submit since 2012 (Black Ops II was released back then) and this is the ninth year on a row that the franchise reaches the top spot. A confirmation of both the saga’s longevity and aptitude to bring everyone on board. Still did not try it out? Well, well, you can check our fanatical review before you do so.
Another one of Activision’s published titles, Destiny 2, goes directly to the third position. Not a bad place to be for Bungie’s second incursion in the sci-fi multiplayer world. Click here to discover why we gave it an eight out of ten. We see how it keeps its numbers, as the microtransactions dilemma has also reached their shore.
Last but not least, Ubisoft’s Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands landed at spot seven. Albeit a tad repetitive, we found Wildlands to be surprisingly fun, especially due to its seamless co-op integration.
By this point, it’s not really a surprise that online shooters are becoming secure bets for some of the biggest studios out there. A trend that will probably keep flowing this year as well. *Notes it down on the Calendar of Prophecies for future boasting*.
The Ascent of Nintendo
When not busy making cardboard constructions in the backyard, Nintendo goes beyond every one of their previous steps – and owns their throne with style. 2017 was clearly the year of the Switch and everything that came with it. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild ended the year on place fifth, Mario Oddisey arrived at ninth, followed by the revamped Mario Kart 8, which closed the list.
We have quite a lot of passionate gamers in The Game Fanatics who would tell you that Breath of the Wild is one of those titles that one de-fi-ni-te-ly has to play. Check out Tyler’s review to know why!
Also, if you look up again the list, you’ll see that all these Nintendo games’ revenues reflect only their retail versions. Meaning, if their digital sales would also be counted here, it’s more than plausible they would have reached a higher place. In any case, Nintendo has risen the bar and show their commitment to great gaming propositions. We really cannot wait to see what they come up with in the future.
Sports Keep EA in The Charts
Despite the public scrutiny that has followed EA in their publishing endeavors, two of their games were still top-sellers in 2017. Albeit one of them has certainly taken some beats… While Madden NFL 18 appears on a decent fourth position, Star Wars: Battlefront II drops to place eight, losing both Force and players.
Classics Will Be Classics
It does not come as a surprise either that GTA V is still selling like popcorn on a Saturday movie night. This Rockstar classic holds the beats of time like no other and arrives for a second year in a row to the sixth spot. The (mis)adventures of Benjamin, Michael and Trevor have kept players hooked since 2013. Heck, I may give it myself a third playthrough this year, now that Red Dead Redemption 2 is heading down and down the delay route…
Take-Two Interactive can certainly take pride in their 2017 performance. NBA 2K18 comes just below Call of Duty: WWII on the second spot, which results in an increase of two positions when compared to their place in the 2016 ranking.
Wait a minute, wait a minute. Where is PUBG?
Well, I’m glad you asked! The only reason why PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is not on the list is that developer PUBG Corporation has not shared its sales data with NPD. Otherwise, the likes of Activision would be trembling on the top of this podium.
And that’s because the “Battle Royaleske” shooter has already sold more than 30 million copies worldwide on PC while the Xbox One version has surpassed the 3 million copies milestone. There seems to be no end to the rocketing trajectory that Brendan Greene’s creation holds and for that, they deserve their very own mention in this article. WP, GG.
And this will be all for the NPD’s best-selling games list of 2017. Were you surprised while checking them out? Not the least? Which ones do you already own in your collection? What other titles did you particularly enjoy and hold dear? As always, let us know in the comment section down below and join the discussion with other game fanatics like you.
Cheers!
