The biggest selling video games of 2020 on Amazon US have been revealed, and the top ten is dominated by Nintendo Switch games. The Switch has had an incredible year in terms of sales, and that success can be laid at the feet of Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
New Horizons took the world by storm in 2020, which was helped by accidentally launching at just the right time. The release date of New Horizons coincided with lockdowns around the world, which meant that people were looking for a game that allowed them to spend time with their friends, and to express their creativity on social media. New Horizons became the 2nd best-selling Switch game in under a year, and it's poised to take the top spot, thanks to the sales boost from the 2020 holiday season. This would be no small feat, considering that the current best-seller is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, whose annual sales keep increasing each year.
2020 is drawing to a close and we can now see how the biggest games of the year performed on Amazon in the USA. According to Amazon US (via DualShockers), the list was dominated by Nintendo Switch games. The physical edition of Animal Crossing: New Horizons is #1, Super Mario 3D All-Stars is #2, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is #3, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is #4, the digital edition of New Horizons is #5, Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4 is #6, Ring Fit Adventure is #7, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity is #8, The Last of Us Part 2 on PS4 is #9, and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is #10.
Those are some overwhelmingly strong numbers from Nintendo. The PS4 version of Cyberpunk 2077 placing so high is a surprise, considering the issues with that version of the game. The only other console exclusive to pose a threat to Nintendo's dominance was The Last of Us Part 2.
Nintendo had a strong year in terms of sales, but it should be pointed out that only three of the Switch games in the top ten were released in 2020: New Horizons, Age of Calamity, and Super Mario 3D All-Stars – the last of which is a compilation of old games. The Switch had a relatively dry year in terms of new releases, and it has been relying heavily on its mainstay franchises. The Switch's schedule for 2021 currently only has a single first-party game: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, which is another Wii U port. Nintendo can only rely on Tom Nook and his friends for so long, especially now that the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S are on the market. The Switch dominated in 2020, but it needs to keep the new games coming if it wants to hold onto its lead.
Source: Amazon US (via DualShockers)