- “Super Mario Maker 2” topped the June sales charts, according to data from the NPD Group.
- The Nintendo Switch is the best-selling video game console of 2019, continuing a trend from last year.
- Overall, video game hardware sales are slowly declining as gamers prepare for the release of new Xbox and PlayStation consoles next year.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Nintendo is the hottest company in gaming once again. Fresh off the announcement of its new Nintendo Switch Lite console, the Japanese video game maker’s latest “Super Mario” game also managed to top the June sales charts, based on data from the NPD Group.
“Super Mario Maker 2” was released for the Nintendo Switch on June 28 and was the top-selling game of the month with just a few days on the sales charts. Few franchises can compare to the popularity of “Super Mario,” and the latest game lets players build and share their own stages online with friends.
The Nintendo Switch was also June’s best-selling video game console, and the Switch has led the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in sales throughout the year. Those consoles are nearly four years older than the Switch and nearing their end of their lifespan; Nintendo has been successful in capitalizing on the transition period between console generations.
Overall, video game hardware sales were down nearly 33% in June when compared to last year, as gamers prepare for the new Xbox and PlayStation consoles arriving in fall 2020. Nintendo's new Switch Lite, a portable-only version of the console, will be released on September 20 and is likely to be one of the most popular video game purchases during this year's holiday season.
"Crash Team Racing: Nitro Fueled," a remake of the classic "Crash Bandicoot" spin-off, was the best-selling game on PlayStation 4 following its June 21st debut while "Mortal Kombat 11" topped the Xbox charts once again. The most popular new releases in May, "Rage 2" and "Total War: Three Kingdoms," fell out of the top 20 best-sellers after landing in the 3rd and 4th spots last month.
These were the best-selling games of June 2019: