Top 5 Insights on June 2025’s Best-Selling Games
▼ Summary
– The Nintendo Switch 2 became the fastest-selling console launch in U.S. history, with 1.6 million units sold in June 2025, and most buyers also played *Mario Kart World*.
– *Elden Ring: Nightreign* topped sales charts for two consecutive months, outperforming full-priced games despite its lower $40 price point.
– *Monster Hunter Wilds* dropped off sales charts due to declining player interest, poor PC performance, and negative Steam reviews.
– The Switch 2 Pro controller was June’s best-selling gaming accessory, with 32% of Switch 2 owners purchasing it, often due to stock shortages.
– *Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma* was a surprise hit, ranking third in sales across Nintendo platforms, showcasing the appeal of hybrid console-handheld experiences.
June 2025 proved to be a landmark month for the gaming industry, with record-breaking console sales and surprising hits shaking up the charts. Nintendo’s long-awaited Switch 2 dominated hardware sales, becoming the fastest-selling console launch in U.S. history. While the buzz around its release felt quieter than previous Nintendo launches, the numbers tell a different story, 1.6 million units sold in June alone, with Mario Kart World bundled alongside 82% of those purchases.
Circana’s latest sales data reveals fascinating trends across platforms. Elden Ring: Nightreign continues its reign, topping the charts for the second consecutive month despite its budget price point. Meanwhile, Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds, previously 2025’s best-selling title, has mysteriously vanished from the top rankings, likely due to player frustration with technical issues and content droughts.
The Switch 2’s success extends beyond hardware. Nintendo’s Pro Controller emerged as June’s best-selling accessory, with nearly a third of console owners opting for the premium input device. This suggests many players prefer traditional gaming setups over the Switch’s signature detachable Joy-Cons, even with their latest iteration.
Surprise standouts included Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma, which cracked the top 10 despite being a niche franchise. The RPG’s strong performance highlights how Nintendo’s hybrid console strategy continues paying dividends, blending handheld and home gaming audiences. Meanwhile, The Elder Scrolls Online enjoyed a resurgence on Xbox platforms, likely fueled by both new content updates and renewed interest following the Oblivion Remastered release.
Other notable performers include Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 maintaining its usual strong position, while Stellar Blade and Death Stranding 2 demonstrate the lasting appeal of premium single-player experiences. The continued presence of evergreen titles like Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto V, now in its 12th year on charts, proves some games simply defy conventional sales cycles.
What’s particularly striking is how platform-exclusive content drives engagement. Nintendo’s first-party titles dominate their ecosystem, while PlayStation and Xbox charts show distinct player preferences. This fragmentation suggests the industry’s push toward multiplatform releases hasn’t diminished the value of system-selling exclusives. As hardware generations blur and cloud gaming expands, these monthly snapshots reveal an industry in flux, where established franchises coexist with bold new experiments, and where a $40 expansion can outsell full-priced blockbusters.
(Source: kotaku)
