NPD: Octopath Traveler leads continued Switch success in July

Nintendo has shown a strong 2018 so far, and in July it showed no signs of slowing down. Not only did the company dominate software charts, but the Nintendo Switch returned to the top of hardware units and dollar sales for the first time since December.

According to the report by The NPD Group for July of 2018, overall spending on gaming hardware, software, accessories, and game cards was up 14% year-over-year, with hardware and game card growth helping account for weaker software sales. Year to date spending continued to rise across all categories, with a 17% year-over-year increase lead by accessories and game cards.

Though the NES Classic was unable to retain its title from last month as the top hardware seller in units, Nintendo still took the spot with the Nintendo Switch, which also dominated in dollar sales. Though the Switch has topped hardware charts a total of seven months since its launch in March of last year, this is the first time it's led since December.

That's not to say other hardware didn't do well. The NES Classic and SNES Classic continued to help drive hardware growth alongside the Switch and Xbox One, bringing total monthly spending up 19% year-over-year and year-to-date spending up 21% year-over-year.

Accessory and game card spending continued to see monthly record highs, rising 49% year-over-year and breaking the record for highest spending in the month of July.

Finally, software spending was down 12% year-over-year for July, though year-to-date spending was up 5%. The Nintendo Switch drove a good chunk of sales, with exclusives Octopath Traveler, Mario Kart 8, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Mario Tennis Aces all showing up in the top 10 titles for the month. So far for 2018, the Switch is the only console showing year-over-year dollar sales growth, up nearly 70% (that's not including digital sales). Year-to-date game sales have more than doubled year-over-year as well.

Top 10 selling games (physical and digital) for July 2018

1. Octopath Traveler
2. Grand Theft Auto V
3. Mario Kart 8
4. Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy
5. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
6. Far Cry 5
7. Super Mario Odyssey
8. The Crew 2
9. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege
10. Mario Tennis Aces