You know how these NPD sales charts work by now, right? Typically the uber-mainstream titles all move to the top, while the more core gamer franchises secure a token appearance towards the bottom. Except that hasn’t really happened this time: Persona 5 finished second in April 2017. This is an incredible achievement because it really doesn’t get much more niche than JRPGs these days, yet it managed to outperform the second month of MLB The Show 17 – itself one of the top ten best selling games of the year so far.
It was a really good month for the United States games industry actually: overall spend was up 10 per cent year-over-year at $636 million, with boosted hardware and software sales accounting for that. Obviously the Nintendo Switch – which was the best-selling console of the month – is helping to contribute to that, but it’s a healthy sign for the industry as a whole.
It’s worth mentioning that Ubisoft’s quietly doing really well, too. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands – which finished in fifth position in its second month of sales tracking – is currently the best selling game of the year in the USA, while For Honor is second. And Horizon: Zero Dawn – which finished in 12th place in April's charts – is currently fourth for 2017 overall. That’s a really impressive accomplishment for Guerrilla Games, and we’re sure Sony is already licking its lips over the prospect of a sequel – or even some kind of expansion pack.
NPD’s giving out a much wider array of data now, so we’ve included all of the relevant information below. It’s going to be interesting to see how the summer months go down, isn’t it? When will Nintendo be able to fully satisfy Switch demand? And how are games like Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy going to perform? There should be plenty to talk about in the traditionally quiet period that’s fast approaching.
NPD Software Top 20: April 2017
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe*
- Persona 5*
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild*
- MLB 17: The Show
- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Mass Effect: Andromeda
- NBA 2K17
- Overwatch**
- Call of Duty: Black Ops II
- Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
- Horizon: Zero Dawn
- Lego City Undercover
- Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix
- Lego Worlds
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege
- Battlefield 1
- For Honor
- NieR: Automata
- Minecraft
NPD PS4 Software Top 10: April 2017
- Persona 5*
- MLB 17: The Show
- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix
- Mass Effect: Andromeda
- NBA 2K17
- Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
- Overatch
NPD Best Selling Games Through April 2017
- Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
- For Honor
- The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Horizon Zero Dawn
- Mass Effect: Andromeda
- Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Grand Theft Auto V
- NBA 2K17
- Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
- MLB 17: The Show
*Does not include digital sales **Blizzard launcher sales not includes
[source venturebeat.com]
Comments 30
Ridiculously good for Persona 5. Japan as a whole has been on fire so far this year with its output.
@ShogunRok I'm amazed to see NieR Automata still in the Top 20. Obviously don't know what the actual numbers are down there, but it still seems quite impressive to me.
I'm glad to see Horizon: Zero Dawn still on the list. It's easily my GOTY so far.
I probably would have bought a Switch and Mario Kart if Nintendo would make more than 5 at a time.
Funny that the three top games are also the highest rated on Metacritic.
I also like how there is more variety than the usual shooty-footy stuff.
I wouldn't be surprised if the digital sales pushed Persona 5 to #1. I've only purchased 2 physical games this generation. Robinson and Farpoint. Both because of the cost difference between PSN and Amazon at launch.
Non of the PS4 exclusives include digital sales. Not only not P5. So every PS4 exclusive should have the star on the right side. Sony never shares digital sale figures. #JustSayin'
That's a ridiculously wonderful top 3. The vast majority of my time has been dominated by these three games since March.
Absolutely deserved. Horizon was my game of the year...until Persona 5 came out. I cannot believe how good this year has already been.
Sooo good. I haven't played it in weeks but I still have the music stuck in my head.
I've played all of the top 3 quite a bit (albeit Mario Kart 8 a few years ago when it first came out) and I have to say Persona 5 is the best game I've played this year. What with this and Yakuza 0 and others I haven't got round to yet, Japanese gaming has come back strongly
I hope this makes people think twice before saying Japanese games are dead yadda, yadda, yadda. BEHOLD the power of Japan.
Japanese games back with a vengeance this year.
Well deserved, it's a shame about the stock issues in Europe which pretty much grinded the sales to a halt for a while though.
@JAMes-BroWWWn Sony digital sales have been added this month.
Minecraft in 20th still pulling in dough. Crazy longevity.
Well done P5 your winking at me off the shelf right now. But coffin dodgers is next I'm afraid.
Seeing Persona 5 do so well warms the darkest corners of my cynical old heart.
Dont let a pro sony site fool you here are the real April 2017 NPD
1.) Mario Kart 8
2.) Persona 5
3.) The Legend of Zelda: Breath of Wild
4.) MLB: The Show 17
5.) Ghost Recon Wildlands
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/05/18/npd-mario-kart-8-races-to-the-top-of-the-april-sales-chart.aspx
Sony is no longer king of gaming. Nintendo is with two games in the top 5.
@Gamer247 the jokes on you because that's exactly what they said 😂
@Gamer247 Those are the first 5 of the NPD top 20, man. lol
Are dedicated gamers looking for different experiences rather than traditional tentpole releases? I think that might be the case - Games like MLB or Ghost Recon Rainbow Cry are always going to sell well with majority of PS4 owners but from a community sense, I don't hear them being discussed much but Nier, Horizon, Persona 5, Nioh, BOTW etc. are still being discussed and talked about. It gives me hope that publishers will take risks alongside the dead certs.
@Gamer247 Really?
Sigh.
It's great because persona 5 deserved it. Also, horizon and nier has staying power, nice
I don't think we'll get grand theft auto 6 this generation, grand theft auto 5 staying power is crazy.
And it's a turn based game. Can you dig it? (Cyrus voice)
@get2sammyb are you sure about that Sammy? The only way to get the digital sales numbers is by Sony directly and it is pretty much known that neiher Sony nor Microsoft shares digital figures. Just wondering how they got the digit ones for this/last month.
@Gamer247 well, PS is with 2 games in the top 5 too. Sooooo whats your point?!
@JAMes-BroWWWn Both Microsoft and Sony share digital data as of this month. Was confirmed on NeoGAF by someone who works for NPD.
@get2sammyb got'cha!! thx 4 the fast respond and clarification.
Much deserved. Persona 5 is my favourite game on PS4 so far, just as Persona 3 was my favourite on PS2. Shame the director has moved on to other things. It will be interesting to see where Persona goes from here.
Interesting numbers, great to see MLB The Show 17 having a great start and I'm very happy to see RE 7, Horizon and Zelda all doing very well. The Switch has rejuvenated the NA market a bit as well.
As a person who had never played a Persona game till P5 I can say I will always day 1 any sequels hereafter. Such a fantastic game.
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