January 2022 NPD: Pokémon tops the charts

Gaming hardware rebounded in January after a supply-constrained December, but total tracked industry sales were down 2% year-over-year, according to industry-tracking firm The NPD Group. That is largely due to lower spending on software and accessories compared to January 2021 when the frenzy to acquire new consoles, controllers, and games for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X generation was at its height. Here are the full results for January 2022 NPD:

“January 2022 consumer spending across video game hardware, content and accessories declined 2% when compared to a year ago, to $4.7 billion,” NPD analyst Mat Piscatella said. “A double-digit percentage gain in hardware spending, driven by PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles, could not offset declines in content and accessories spending.”

These numbers represent a natural self-selecting decline in enthusiasm for spending on new games and accessories. Only the most determined fans were able to track down new-gen PS5 and Xbox hardware in January 2021, and those are the same people who are more likely to pick up a new controller and a couple extra games with their new device.

Let’s get to the games.

January 2022 NPD: Top 20 best-selling games of the month in the United States

NPD tracks physical sales at retailers, but it also gets digital data directly from publishers. Not every company participates. For example, Nintendo doesn’t share its first-party sales, and Activision Blizzard does not provide its Battle.net sales.

These charts are sorted by dollar sales — not number of units sold. And this is for full-game sales and does not include in-game spending. 

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

January had plenty of Pokémon as the two most recent game releases both made the top 20.

“Pokemon Legends: Arceus was January’s best-selling game,” said Piscatella. “It joined Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl — which was No. 11 — on the best-selling titles chart for the month.”

PC ports push big console games back into the top 10

Meanwhile, if you’re wondering why Sony (and Capcom) are releasing their games on Steam, here is your answer.

“Monster Hunter: Rise was No. 3 in January, up from No. 94 in December, and God of War was No. 5 in January and No. 146 a month ago,” said Piscatella. “Both featured Steam launches during January 2022, which drove their respective gains.”

Spider-Man: Miles Morales is PlayStation’s Mario Kart

Mario Kart was No. 8 on the top 10. That game continues to sell even as it surpassed 43 million copies shipped worldwide. But Nintendo isn’t the only company with an evergreen hit. Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales launched in 2020, and it was No. 6 on the chart for January 2022.

“Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales ranked as the sixth best-selling game of January overall, while placing second on PlayStation platforms,” said Piscatella. “Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales now trails only Marvel’s Spider-Man, and God of War (2018) in lifetime dollar sales for Sony-published titles since 1995.”

And the game should continue to perform well as it seems like the go-to game for people picking up a PlayStation 5 for the first time.

January 2022 NPD: Top 10 best-selling Nintendo-platform games in the U.S.

January 2022 NPD: Top 10 best-selling PlayStation-platform games in the U.S.

January 2022 NPD: Top 10 best-selling Xbox-platform games

What do you think will come out on top in February? My money is on Pokémon Legends: Arceus, but it’s going to be close with Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, and Dying Light 2 all launching as well.