NBA 2K27 and Madden NFL 27 took the top two spots on Circana’s U.S. best-selling games chart for August 2026. Elden Ring rose from No. 41 to No. 7, and Panic’s Big Walk entered the top ten at No. 8. Circana’s ranking shows order, not units sold or revenue earned by any single game.
The August 2026 top ten
The ranking below follows the order reported by Nintendo Everything on October 8, 2026, with prior-month positions from Rachel Kaser’s GamesBeat report of the same date. Both outlets are relaying Circana’s monthly chart.
| Rank | Game | Publisher | Prior month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NBA 2K27 | Take-Two Interactive | New |
| 2 | Madden NFL 27 | Electronic Arts | New |
| 3 | Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls | Sony | New |
| 4 | Kickoff Bundle (2026) | Electronic Arts | New |
| 5 | Star Wars: Zero Company | Electronic Arts | New |
| 6 | Halo: Campaign Evolved | Microsoft | No. 6 |
| 7 | Elden Ring | Bandai Namco Entertainment | No. 41 |
| 8 | Big Walk | Panic | New |
| 9 | Mario Kart World | Nintendo | No. 19 |
| 10 | Splatoon Raiders | Nintendo | No. 7 |
The chart marks some entries with a caret, which Circana uses for digital point-of-sale actuals, and others with an asterisk, which indicates digital sales projections. The reporting does not say which titles carry which mark, so check the chart itself before treating any single digital figure as an actual or a projection.
What moved in the chart
Elden Ring: from No. 41 to No. 7
Elden Ring made the largest climb in the top ten. GamesBeat attributes the jump to the August launch of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2, and Nintendo Everything also links the Switch 2 release to its top-ten placement. Both outlets are reporting the connection Circana’s data was read to show. Neither report presents a separate analysis that isolates the edition’s effect from other factors, so read the link as the reporters’ explanation rather than a measured cause.
#1 Best Overall
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition contains the Elden Ring Base Game + Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion + Additional Content (including Torrent Skins, New Armors, and More...)
- MASSIVE OPEN WORLD
- DEEP, CUSTOMIZABLE COMBAT
- NEW STARTING CLASSES
- NEW PLAYER-FRIENDLY ENHANCEMENTS
Big Walk debuts at No. 8
Big Walk, published by Panic, is the only new title in the top ten that is not from a major annual sports or franchise publisher. Its appearance at No. 8 in its first ranked month is the chart’s most notable debut outside the sports releases.
Mario Kart World and Splatoon Raiders swap places
Mario Kart World rose from No. 19 to No. 9. Splatoon Raiders fell from No. 7 to No. 10. Both are Nintendo titles, and both moves are small relative to the entries that debuted in the top five.
Rank #2
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition
Market context for August 2026
Circana’s figures for the overall U.S. market were down year over year, even as accessories grew. The table below uses the numbers GamesBeat attributes to Circana’s August report.
| Measure | August 2026 | Year over year |
|---|---|---|
| Total U.S. video game sales (Circana’s projected total-market figure) | $4.259 billion | Down 9% from $4.666 billion in August 2025 |
| Video game content spending | $3.780 billion | Down 10% |
| Video game hardware spending | $302 million | Down 3% |
| Video game accessories spending | $176 million | Up 3% |
| Year-to-date total video game sales through August | $36.282 billion | Down 3% |
| Hardware unit sales in August | 559,000 | Down 15%, the lowest August total since 2013 |
Hardware prices reached an August record
Circana’s director of video games, Mat Piscatella, said: “The average price paid for a new unit of video game hardware in the US reached an August record $541.” GamesBeat reports that the previous August record was $476, set in 2025. Hardware unit sales fell even as the average price rose, so the higher average reflects what buyers paid per unit, not a growth in the number of units sold.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #3
- Amazing New Settings
How to read this chart
The ranking tells you which games sold the most relative to one another in August 2026 under Circana’s U.S. methodology. It does not give unit totals, dollar totals, or market share for any individual title, and the reporting cited here does not publish Circana’s full methodology or the list of retailers and formats it covers. For the same reason, an entry’s rank is not a measure of how many copies it sold.
When comparing titles from one month to the next, use the rank, the prior-month position, the publisher, and the digital marker. The Elden Ring edition is the most specific product named in the coverage. Before linking to any title, confirm the exact edition, platform, physical or digital format, and current retailer listing, because a chart entry does not confirm that every title has a physical edition or a current listing.
Rank #4
- Elden Ring board game campaign featuring tactical combat, exploration, treasure hunting, and cinematic boss encounters for 1–4 players
- 20+ hour replayable campaign that can be played as a standalone adventure or combined with other Elden Ring: The Board Game content
- Card-driven, diceless combat system rewards strategic positioning, timing, resource management, and tactical decision-making
- New playable Tarnished classes including the Confessor and Prisoner, adding fresh character options and strategic play styles
- Detailed tabletop miniatures include 22 figures and a massive Godrick the Grafted miniature on a 120mm base, with components varying by selected edition
Source note: the ranking and publisher list come from Nintendo Everything’s October 8, 2026 summary. The market figures, hardware price record, and the Elden Ring explanation come from Rachel Kaser’s GamesBeat report of October 8, 2026, which presents Circana’s August 2026 data.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Enter a brutal mega boss encounter where the Erdtree Avatar unleashes crushing power, relentless aggression, and battlefield dominance that demands precision and nerve.
- Ride into combat with enhanced mounted mechanics, gaining overwhelming mobility and striking freedom that reshape your tactical identity and open high-risk attack windows.
- Battle ruthless guardian warriors whose unwavering devotion, deadly weapon mastery, and uncanny resilience turn every clash into a desperate struggle for survival.
- Fight on a dramatic, atmospheric encounter map, designed to heighten tension, reward clever movement, and transform each moment into a cinematic showdown.
- Unlock powerful rewards and exclusive equipment, earning new cards and gear that expand your Tarnished progression and deepen long-term campaign impact.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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