NPD: May US game sales jump 52%

US gaming sales in May were up significantly year-over-year, but the pace of growth slowed somewhat as the country the third month since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic.

The NPD today released its numbers for US gaming sales in May, showing overall sales of hardware, physical games, downloaded full games (from a panel of 14 major publishers), and video game accessories totaled $977 million for the month, up 52% year-over-year and reaching the highest total for May since 2008.

The pace of growth was down somewhat from April, when overall game sales were up 73% year-over-year.

Software sales for May were up 67% year-over-year to $438 million despite a middling month for new releases. The best-selling new release of the month was Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition for the Switch, which debuted in the 14th spot on the charts.

Meanwhile, hardware sales were up 56% to $235 million, the highest May hardware total since 2010, with the Switch the best-selling system by both unit sales and dollars spent.

Growth in the accessories and game cards segment trailed software and hardware, as they were only up 32% to $304 million.

The Xbox Elite Series 2 wireless controller was the best-selling accessory of the month and the year-to-date.

Here's the US Top 20 (based on dollar sales) for the period between May 3 and May 30, 2020, courtesy of The NPD Group:

• 1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2019
• 2. Grand Theft Auto V
• 3. Animal Crossing: New Horizons*
• 4. NBA 2K20
• 5. Mortal Kombat 11
• 6. Red Dead Redemption II
• 7. Minecraft*
• 8. Final Fantasy VII Remake
• 9. Assassin's Creed Odyssey
• 10. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
• 11. Madden NFL 20
• 12. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe*
• 13. Need for Speed Heat
• 14. Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
• 15. Minecraft Dungeons*
• 16. Saints Row: The Third Remastered
• 17. MLB: The Show 20
• 18. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*
• 19. Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
• 20. FIFA 20

*Digital sales on Nintendo eShop not included