The NPD Group August 2022 results are in, and the gaming industry is looking a little healthier than it was last month. Spending is still down year-on-year, but things seem to be returning to normal levels. There's also good, if somewhat predictable, news if you're a Madden fan.
What do the NPD August 2022 results show?
As ever, this news comes courtesy of NPD Group analyst Mat Piscatella, who shares the Group's findings on the industry each month on Twitter. According to Piscatella, industry spending is down 5% on last year, but it's slightly higher than the 2020 total for August, clocking in at $4.10 billion this year (against $4.07 billion in 2020). Things are looking slightly better than they were last month, too, with August 2022 monthly spending returning to 2020 levels.
On a year-to-date basis, spending is at $34.6 billion this August, which is 9% lower than the same time period in 2021 but 3% higher during the comparable 2020 period. It's worth noting that the 2020 period also includes much of 2019, though, which is from the Before Times. Still, it's encouraging to see the industry bouncing back to some degree after a less positive couple of months.
What's the best-selling game for August 2022?
It will likely come as absolutely no surprise to learn that Madden NFL 23 was August's best-selling game. This marks the 23rd consecutive year in which a Madden game has been the best-selling game of its release month, so its performance was pretty predictable. Still, if you are a Madden NFL 23 fan (which, given the game's Mostly Negative rating on Steam, you might well not be), it's good news nonetheless.
Strong performances were also registered by Marvel's Spider-Man, likely bolstered by its PC port, and the new Saints Row game, which has still sold well despite a glut of ambivalent reviews. Elden Ring remains perched atop the year-to-date best-selling games, and Mario Kart 8 is the Switch's best-selling title for August 2022, with Madden and Saints Row topping both PlayStation and Xbox charts.
Mobile gaming is apparently still struggling a little, according to Piscatella, registering another decline (although not one as drastic as July's 12% drop). The fall in spending was largely led by Android users rather than iOS users; Google Play saw a 22% drop in spending year-on-year compared to the 1.2% registered by the App Store.
Be sure to check out Piscatella's full thread for more nerdy statistics and fun industry stuff. We'll bring you more on the state of the gaming industry in 2022 as soon as we get it, so stay tuned to TechRaptor for more news on that and much more besides.
