Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Digital Launch the Biggest in the History of Console Games

We all know Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been a surprise smash hit for Nintendo, but new information from digital sales tracker SuperData provides a clearer picture of just how huge the game really is. AC: New Horizons has sold more digital units in its first month (5 million in total) than any other console game in history, unseating former champion Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. In comparison to other Nintendo games, New Horizons has sold more than Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Pokémon Sword and Shield combined in its first month. Damn!

Of course, digital sales are through the roof in general due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Doom Eternal sold 3 million digital units in March, around three times as much as 2016’s Doom sold in its first month. Meanwhile, the release of the free-to-play Warzone battle royale mode has boosted the playerbase for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 159 percent to 62.7 million, and Half-Life: Alyx is easily one of the biggest VR-exclusive launches of all time, selling 860,000 digital units.

Here are SuperData’s full PC, console, and mobile digital sales charts for March:

PC

1. Dungeon Fighter Online
2. League of Legends
3. Crossfire
4. Fantasy Westward Journey Online II
5. Doom Eternal
6. Counter Strike: Global Offensive
7. Borderlands 3
8. Half-Life: Alyx
9. World of Warcraft
10. World of Tanks

Console

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
2. FIFA 20
3. MLB The Show 20
4. Doom Eternal
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
6. NBA 2K20
7. Grand Theft Auto V
8. Fortnite
9. Rainbow Six Siege
10. Madden NFL 20

Mobile

1. Honour of Kings
2. Gardenscapes
3. Candy Crush Saga
4. Last Shelter: Survival
5. Pokemon Go
6. Coin Master
7. Roblox
8. Monster Strike
9. Clash of Clans
10. Mafia City

It will be interesting to see what happens with digital game sales going forward. Will they continue to be high or have people stockpiled enough games for the pandemic?