Call of Duty: Vanguard ranked No. 1 on NPD’s U.S. games chart for 2021, followed by Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Madden NFL 22. “Best-selling” means ranked by dollar sales—not copies sold. The chart combines physical sales with selected full-game digital sales, so it is a tracked-sales ranking rather than a complete count of every digital transaction.
What NPD’s 2021 ranking measures
The chart covers U.S. sales during calendar year 2021 and orders games by dollar sales. The reports do not give individual game revenue totals or unit counts, so a position on this list does not show how many copies a game sold or establish which title led by units.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Marvel's Wolverine PS5 | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Super Mario Galaxy™ + Super Mario Galaxy™ 2 | $64.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Super Smash Bros. Ultimate - US Version | $52.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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007 First Light - Specialist Edition - PlayStation 5 | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Ghost of Yōtei PS5 | $53.99 | Buy on Amazon |
As reported by GamesBeat, the ranking combines physical sales with full-game digital sales reported through NPD’s Digital Leader Panel for Nintendo eShop, PlayStation, Steam, and Xbox. Nintendo digital sales are excluded for titles marked with an asterisk in the original chart; Xbox digital sales are excluded for MLB: The Show 21. Those omissions matter when interpreting close comparisons. The figures below are ranks, not sales totals. GamesBeat’s report of the NPD chart describes the chart and its coverage.
The top 20 games in the U.S. for 2021
| Rank | Game | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Call of Duty: Vanguard | Activision Blizzard |
| 2 | Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War | Activision Blizzard |
| 3 | Madden NFL 22 | Electronic Arts |
| 4 | Pokémon: Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl | Nintendo |
| 5 | Battlefield 2042 | Electronic Arts |
| 6 | Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales | Sony |
| 7 | Mario Kart 8 | Nintendo |
| 8 | Resident Evil: Village | Capcom |
| 9 | MLB: The Show 21 | Sony |
| 10 | Super Mario 3D World | Nintendo |
| 11 | Far Cry 6 | Ubisoft |
| 12 | FIFA 22 | Electronic Arts |
| 13 | Minecraft | Multiple publishers |
| 14 | Animal Crossing: New Horizons | Nintendo |
| 15 | NBA 2K22 | Take-Two Interactive |
| 16 | Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla | Ubisoft |
| 17 | Super Smash Bros. Ultimate | Nintendo |
| 18 | Back 4 Blood | Warner Bros. Interactive |
| 19 | Mortal Kombat 11 | Warner Bros. Interactive |
| 20 | Forza Horizon 5 | Microsoft |
What stands out in the chart
Two Call of Duty games took the first two places
Call of Duty: Vanguard led the annual chart, with 2020 release Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War at No. 2. Madden NFL 22 placed third.
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- Marvel’s Wolverine is a new action-packed adventure from Insomniac Games
- Play as Wolverine and Ravage enemies with explosive brutality and unleash razor-sharp adamantium claws to deploy fast, fluid attacks and overcome impossible odds
- An Original, Emotionally Charged Story. Beneath Wolverine’s gruff exterior and violent temperament is a man fighting for a cause greater than himself
- A Global, Adrenaline-Fueled Journey where you slice into enemies across detailed locales such as the frosted Canadian Wilderness, the narrow streets of Tokyo, and the high and low districts of the island nation of Madripoor
Seven games returned from the 2020 top 20
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Mario Kart 8, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Mortal Kombat 11 appeared in both years’ top-20 rankings, according to NPD analyst Mat Piscatella as quoted by GamesBeat.
Pokémon and Resident Evil had notable franchise results
Piscatella reported that 2021 dollar sales of Pokémon franchise physical software reached their highest annual total since 2000. Resident Evil: Village finished at No. 8, and U.S. dollar sales for the Resident Evil franchise reached a new annual high. These are franchise-level observations; they do not provide individual game sales totals.
Rank #2
- Journey through space in two Super Mario adventures, now improved for the Nintendo Switch system!
- Travel the stars with enhanced resolution, improved UI, and additional content
- Learn more about the Lumas from additional Storybook chapters, groove to a bit of additional music
- Get additional Health and fall recovery in Assist Mode
- Join Rosalina and the Lumas to restore the Comet Observatory and rescue Princess Peach in Super Mario Galaxy.
How this list fits into the wider U.S. market
NPD reported that U.S. spending across games, hardware, and accessories reached $60.4 billion in 2021, up 8% from 2020, according to GameSpot’s coverage. That industry-wide figure includes more than the software sales measured in this chart; it should not be read as revenue generated by the top 20 games. GameSpot’s report also reproduces the annual ranking.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Stunning graphics and gameplay, explore the wild and striking lands around Mount Yotei on foot or horseback. Travel picturesque parts of northern Japan through grasslands, snowy ridges, fields of wildflowers, and more.
- Discover renegade combat, engage in lawless katana combat and battles with adversaires. Train with various sensei as you find and learn to use each new weapon.
- An unconventional story and journey, take in the cultural beauty of Japan, bathe in an onsen, visit shrines to pray, try Sumi-e painting, and so much more.
- Choose your weapon, battle Atsu's opponents as you see fit, with levelled-up dual katanas, odachi, kusarigama and other new weapons.
Rank #4
- ONLY AT AMAZON - SPECIALIST EDITION
- EARN THE NUMBER - Discover a new James Bond origin story, and the events that led a young maverick to become the best MI6 agent.
- A THRILLING ESPIONAGE ADVENTURE - Embark on missions in breathtaking locations, drive iconic vehicles, and dive into a cinematic adventure in pursuit of a rogue agent who’s always one step ahead.
- SPYING, YOUR WAY - Go silent or go loud. Whether fighting with fists or firepower, using gadgets to infiltrate, or bluffing your way past guards, the approach is entirely up to you.
Rank #3
- New stages and fighters are joined by the combined rosters of every past Super Smash Bros. Game
- Challenge others anytime, anywhere, whether you're on the couch or on the go
- Play any way you want—locally, online, in TV mode, Tabletop mode, Handheld mode, or even with GameCube Controllers
- Fight faster and smarter with new and returning techniques, like the perfect shield and directional air dodge
- Face off in 2-4 player battles, or play against the computer
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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