All Articles: NBA 2K15
Batman: Arkham Knight stands watch atop the best-selling games list for June 2015
Rocksteady’s Arkham trilogy went out with a bang last month, and it looks like a lot of fans went along for the ride, as The NPD Group has confirmed Batman: Arkham Knight was the best-selling game for June 2015.
Aside from the problems with the PC version, WB Games had a pretty good month as four of the publisher’s titles placed in the top ten. Newcomer Lego Jurassic World joined Arkham Knight near the top of the list in the #3 spot, while The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (#4) and Mortal Kombat X (#8) held over from May. NPD’s Liam Callahan told GamesIndustry.biz, “Warner Bros. Interactive is the top corporate publisher so far in 2015, with dollar sales growing 217% versus the first half of 2014.”
But WB Games wasn’t the only company having a nice Summer as Bethesda has a hit on their hands with The Elder Scrolls Online. It was also a good month to be a squid as Nintendo’s Splatoon held strong at #5, and became the only platform exclusive to crack the top ten.
The industry as a whole should be very happy about last month’s sales as consumers spent a lot more than they did last year. Overall sales were up 18%, $869 million versus $734 million, over June 2014. And that includes increases in hardware (+8%), software (+21%), and accessories (+34%).
The complete top ten list of best-selling games for June 2015 can be found after the break. (more…)
The Witcher 3 hunts down the top spot as May 2015’s best-selling game
The NPD Group has published their monthly report on the financial state of the video game industry and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has emerged as the best-selling game of May 2015.
The Witcher 3’s victory was assured after the game leapfrogged both of April’s big releases including Mortal Kombat X (#2) and Grand Theft Auto V (#3). The only other May release to make the list, Nintendo’s Splatoon, swam its way into the fifth spot. Though Splatoon should get extra notice for being the only platform-exclusive title in the top ten.
All told, retail sales for games, hardware, and accessories were down 13% versus May 2014. However, Mario Kart 8, Watch Dogs, Wolfenstein: The New Order, and the continued success of TitanFall more than explain the sales gap. The drop-off might have been even bigger if it weren’t for a new wave of Amiibo figures. According to NPD’s Liam Callahan (speaking to GamesIndustry.biz), accessories rose 20% year-over-year, with a 73% increase for “interactive gaming toys.” Callahan also confirmed that the PS4 was the best-selling console of the month.
The complete top ten list of best-selling games for May 2015 can be found after the break. (more…)
Flawless Retaility! Mortal Kombat X tops April 2015’s list of best-selling games
Mortal Kombat X killed the competition last month as it’s been crowned the top-selling game of April 2015 by The NPD Group. Aside from NetherRealm’s latest and Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin at #8, the tracking firm’s report showed a top ten that was comprised solely of returning titles including Grand Theft Auto V at #2, Battlefield Hardline at #3, MLB 15: The Show at #4, and the well-loved Minecraft at #5.
Overall, it was a good month for the game industry as total sales rose 3% over April 2014. It’s a small gain, but it’s a gain nonetheless.
“Overall sales across hardware, new physical software, and accessories in April 2015 grew by 3% over April 2014 due to the strength of new physical software sales, which offset losses from hardware and accessories,” The NPD Group’s Liam Callahan told GamesIndustry.biz.
April 2015’s top ten best-selling titles (which also includes CoD: Advanced Warfare, NBA 2K15, the fourth Super Smash Bros. game, and a remastered Borderlands collection) can be found after the break. (more…)
NBA 2K15 says the Golden State Warriors will win this year’s NBA Championship
Sportswriters across the country are getting ready to anoint Stephen Curry as the best basketball player in the NBA. NBA 2K15 publisher 2K Games won’t argue with their, as the publisher predicts Curry’s Golden State Warriors will win the 2015 NBA Championship.
Using an NBA 2K15 simulation, 2K Games believes that Golden State will emerge victorious over the Cleveland Cavaliers in a six-game series. Their path through the playoffs will take them past the New Orleans Pelicans, Portland Trailblazers, and the San Antonio Spurs (in a series that will go the full seven games). If the Cavaliers play their part, they’ll defeat the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks to reach the Finals. Real-life is currently cooperating as both Golden State and Cleveland each enjoy 3-0 leads in their respective first round matchups.
According to 2K’s simulation, Stephen Curry and Lebron James will clash in the Finals, with each putting up multiple 30-point games. In the end, the Golden State Warriors will hoist the trophy with Curry also walking away with the Finals MVP.
If you’ve yet to play NBA 2K15 and you’re an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, you’ll be able to try out the game for free all weekend on your Xbox One. According to Xbox Wire, the free download will be available beginning today at 3:00 PM (Eastern Time) and will be operational through Monday, April 27 at 3:00 AM (also Eastern Time).
UPDATE: It got lost in the E3 shuffle, but 2K’s prediction turned out to be incredibly accurate as the Golden State Warriors did indeed win this year’s NBA Championship over the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. Stephen Curry wasn’t able to claim the MVP award (that went to Andre Iguodala), but he did lead the Warriors in scoring in five of the six games.
Battlefield Hardline pulls off a heist to become best-selling game of March 2015
Hey, have you heard of this Bloodborne game? I hear its pretty popular and that Sony’s got a bonafide hit on their hands. It even sold more than a million copies. For all the acclaim Bloodborne has received and all the copies it surely has sold, the game was topped in last month’s NPD rankings by Battlefield Hardline. Developed by Visceral Games, Battlefield Hardline is a cops-and-robbers spin on the Battlefield series and it, not Bloodborne, managed to become the best-selling game of March 2015.
That said, nearly every game of note managed to crash the top ten last month including Mario Party 10 (#4), MLB 15: The Show (#6), Borderlands: The Handsome Collection (#9), and Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (#10). Nintendo’s Code Name: STEAM was the only other March release that seemed like it might have enough juice to reach the top ten, but it was pushed out by Grand Theft Auto V (#3), Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (#5), and other returning heavy hitters.
The NPD Group (via Game Informer) used this new release drought to explain why March 2015’s game sales were down 6% from the same month a year ago. NPD’s Liam Callahan was also quick to point out that March 2014 saw the release of two very well-received games in TitanFall and InFamous: Second Son. Callahan also confirmed that the PS4 outsold the Xbox One for another month.
March 2015’s top ten best-selling titles can be found after the break. (more…)