UFC 4 | Source: Electronic Arts (EA)

It’s been a big week for video game news as preorders for Sony’s Playstation 5 console came and went while jamming retailer websites across the country. The holiday season launch of that console and Microsoft’s competing Xbox Series X and Series S units should bode well in terms of dollars spent at the register, albeit by selling hardware that encourages digital downloads, and with thin margins at that. In the meantime, the amount of games being played in the COVID-19 era continues to grow.

According to The NPD Group, August consumer spending across video game hardware, content (software), and accessories hit $3.3 billion, an increase of 37% over the same month last year. The big win was in digital content, including mobile content and subscription spending.

As usual, the latest title in the Madden NFL franchise was a full-on blitz, securing the top spot in its launch month for the 21st consecutive year. Madden NFL 21 had double-digit sales growth when compared to the release of last year’s Madden NFL 20. UFC 4 hit the streets in the No. 2 slot while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), Ghost of Tsushima, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons rounded out the top five.

Microsoft’s latest consoles will go up for preorder on Sept. 22.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

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