NPD Feb: Decade-High Hardware Spending Led by Strong Switch Sales

The NPD Group’s monthly report on spending across the US video game market is out for February, and yet again new records have been set. Specifically, the $4.5 billion total is 35 percent higher year-on-year, with year-to-date spending already 39 percent higher than in 2020 at $9.3 billion.

That’s according to The NPD Group’s Mat Piscatella, who was on hand as usual with a breakdown via his Twitter page.

Listed below is a copy of Piscatella’s analysis, which offers commentary on key takeaways across each industry segment.

Hardware

• Monthly sales of video game hardware increased 121% when compared to February 2020, to $406M. This is the highest total for a February month since the $468M reached in February 2011. YTD HW spending totaled $725M, an increase of 130% compared to a year ago.
• Nintendo Switch was the best-selling hardware platform in both units and dollars in February. Unit and dollar sales of Nintendo Switch hardware in February were the highest for any hardware platform in a February month since the Nintendo Wii in Feburary 2009.
• Total lifetime dollar sales of Switch hardware now exceed the Nintendo DS, making Switch Nintendo’s 2nd best-selling platform in U.S. tracked history (Nintendo Wii ranks first). Switch is currently the 7th best-selling hardware platform in lifetime U.S. dollar sales.
• PlayStation 5 ranked as the 2nd best-selling hardware platform in February in both unit and dollar sales. PlayStation 5 is currently the fastest-selling hardware platform in U.S. history (total dollar sales after 4 months in market).

Software

• Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury debuts as the best-selling game of February. The title also ranks as the 2nd best-selling game of 2021 year-to-date, despite the lack of digital sales tracking for Nintendo published titles.
• Little Nighmares II launched as the 6th best-selling game of February. Little Nightmares II ranked as the 5th best-selling game on Xbox platforms, while placing 10th on PlayStation.

Accessories

• Spending on video game accessories totaled $195 million in February 2021, 41 percent higher when compared to a year ago. The Gamepad, Headset/Headphone and Steering Wheel segments all achieved new February dollar sales records.
• The PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller White led all accessories in dollar sales for the month of February, as well as 2021 year-to-date.

Below you can find Piscatella’s lists of best-selling software for the year so far, both across all platforms and individually:

To compare this month’s results with January, it’s here.