In terms of the most financially successful video games of 2021, it should come as no surprise that some of the most iconic gaming titles of all time have enjoyed a banner year. Mario, Madden, Minecraft, and more have all sold a huge number of units in 2021, with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Even games released prior to 2021 continue to outsell newer releases thanks to their built-in fanbase, cool console crossovers, upgradable content, and more.
From popular sports games and beloved superheroes to riveting RPGs and terrifying first-person shooters, the most financially successful video games of 2021, according to The NPD Group, offer a little something for everyone. Will 2022 be just as kind?
Released in November of 2020, Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed: Valhalla has enjoyed all of 2021 to sell as many copies as possible. The game sold more copies in the first week of release than any franchise entry, shipping 12 million copies in the first two months.
According to the NPD Group, AC: Valhalla sank as low as the 20th best-selling game in July of 2021 before making a huge rebound in August and becoming the ninth highest selling game on the market during the entire year. The game drew generally glowing reviews, with its highest Metascores (84) coming from its PS5 and XSX versions.
With over 140 million monthly active users as of 2021, Minecraft continues to be one of the most lucrative titles in the industry according to Gamespot. After finishing eighth in sales in July 2021, the game rebounded for a fifth-place finish in August (per the NPD Group).
According to Windows Central, Minecraft has also surpassed 1 billion mods and add-on downloads. As such, Minecraft remains a behemoth among the gaming industry. Being available across nearly all consoles and platforms helps it reach the widest audience possible.
Upon debuting on March 26th, Capcom's Monster Hunter Rise sold 7.3 million copies by August 1oth, 2021, according to Gaming Bolt. The Switch game comes on the heels of Monster Hunter World, which still ranks as Capcom's highest-selling game of all time (over 17 million units sold). As of October, the game has sold 7.5 million copies.
Despite its early calendar release, Rise remained atop the 10 best sellers as late as the summertime, ranking eighth in July and sixth in August in terms of overall sales. With an 88 Metascore on Metacritic, the game was praised for its addition of the Wirebugs and expanded movement mechanics.
As iconic a title as they come, Nintendo's Mario Kart 8 has sold a total of 37 million copies for the Switch as of June 30, 2021, according to the Nintendo company themselves. However, that's a total figure since its initial release in 2013. According to The NPD Group, Mario Kart 8 was the fourth highest-grossing game of July 2021 and the sixth highest-grossing game in August (via Venture Beat). The exact number of copies sold in 2021 is unclear, although it did sell 4.4 million copies in Japan alone, according to Nintendo Life).
With a Switch Metascore of 92 and a Wii score of 88, Mario Kart 8 continues to be one of the most popular and financially successful video games ever made with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. However, the game would be even better if a few Mario Kart 8 characters were available as DLC.
Upon debuting in November 2020, Sony's Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales parlayed its calendar headstart to sell more than 6.5 million copies by July 2021 (per comicbook.com). After dipping down to 8th place in units sold for July 2021, the game spiked back up to 5th place in August (per NPD Group).
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Capitalizing on the massive popularity of its predecessor, Miles Morales earned nearly identical Metascores for its PS4 (84) and PS5 (85) releases. According to Venture Beat, the game has already outsold both Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part II in terms of lifetime sales.
After finishing fourth in sales in August, Nintendo's Super Mario 3D World remains atop the five best-selling games of the year (NPD Group). Thanks to the advanced port released in February 2021, the game has sold more than 12.55 million units across all platforms as of June, according to Nintendo. Of the 12.55 million, 6.68 million Switch versions of the game were sold.
First published in 2013, Super Mario 3D World has had nearly a decade to build its fanbase and curate a loyal customer, upgrading over time through various means. The game currently holds a 93 Wii Metascore and 89 Switch Metascore, ranking as one of the highest-rated games and indicating a superior quality to go with its large quantity sold.
The Madden football franchise is such an annual institution for sports gamers that it's no surprise it has already become the fourth highest-selling game of the year so far. Indeed, Madden 22 was the best-selling game in August (NPD Group) en route to ranking fourth in 2021 altogether.
However, given the recency of its release, the exact number of copies is unclear. One report claims the game has made $4.4 billion in sales to date (SportsGamersOnline). The flagship EA Sports title drew mixed reviews due to alterations made to its franchise mode, namely on the next-gen consoles, and it's one of the things Madden 22 needs to improve on, moving forward.
Upon its release in May 2021, Resident Evil: Village surged at the sales counter so strongly that many believed it would outperform Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War. Alas, it fell short despite moving 4.5 million units in its first two months on the market, as reported by vg247.com.
Following a torrid sales pace, RE-Village slowed down a quite bit, finishing 19th in sales for July 2021 (Gamespot). However, the massive number of games sold during its initial launch, in addition to the positive reviews, has put the iconic Capcom title back near the top of the sales chart where it belongs.
After becoming the top-selling game in April of 2021 (Resetera), MLB: The Show 21 has eclipsed more than 4 million players during the calendar to become the second most financially successful game of the year. With an 81 Metascore and the introduction of the two-way player function, the game grew more popular as the real MLB season began.
According to NPD, two million copies of MLB: The Show 21 were sold on PlayStation consoles, with the remaining two million coming via Xbox and GamePass. As the fastest-selling title in the franchise, the game became Sony's most lucrative title of the year and one of the best baseball video games on the market.
With over 5.7 million units sold in the first month, according to Game Rant, and $687 million earned in the first six weeks of its November 2020 release, Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War remains the biggest dog on the gaming block. The landmark Activision title is the highest-grossing franchise entry to date. According to the NPD Group, in August of 2021, Black Ops: Cold War remained the third-highest-grossing game behind the newly minted Madden 22 and Ghosts of Tsushima.
Having the benefit of being available for the entire calendar year, in conjunction with its stellar reviews in a giant built-in fanbase, Black Ops: Cold War is the king of the gaming world in 2021.
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October 20, 2021 at 12:00AM
