April 2026 delivered another strong month for the US video game business, with new industry data showing that consumer spending continued to climb after an already healthy March. Overall spending in the US reached $4.3 billion for the month, marking a 3% increase compared to April of last year. The biggest headline from the latest sales report is the breakout performance of Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, which finished as the best-selling game of the month and quickly established itself as one of the year’s top commercial successes.
The life-sim sequel made an immediate impact at retail and across digital storefronts, generating an estimated $41 million in US sales during April alone. That result was strong enough to push it to the top of the monthly chart, and it also moved the game into the number nine position on the year-to-date best-sellers list for 2026. Its launch gave Nintendo a major win and helped drive broader software momentum, especially on the physical side of the business.
One of the more notable shifts in April was the rise in spending on new physical software. Consumers spent $96 million in that category, which represented a substantial 44% jump year over year. A major factor in that growth appears to be the arrival of Nintendo’s new exclusive release on Switch 2. Early sales for the game have been especially impressive, with Nintendo reporting that it moved 3.8 million units in its first two weeks on the market. That kind of launch suggests the game is not only a monthly success story, but potentially one of the defining releases of the year.
While Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream took the top spot, it was far from the only game to perform well in April. Capcom’s Pragmata debuted in second place and turned in a strong showing across multiple platforms. It ranked as the best-selling game on PS5 for the month, claimed second place on PC across aggregated storefronts, and landed third on Xbox. It also managed to place within the top 15 on Switch 2, giving it one of the broadest platform performances of any title in the chart.
Crimson Desert continued its steady run by finishing third overall, reinforcing its status as one of 2026’s most reliable sellers. MLB: The Show 26 came in fourth, showing continued strength in the sports category. Windrose, boosted by its early access launch, secured fifth place and proved there is still plenty of room in the market for new releases to break through when they generate enough interest.
Further down the monthly top 10, Pokemon Pokopia placed sixth, while the combined performance of Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario Galaxy 2 on Switch climbed to seventh. That jump may have been helped by renewed attention around the franchise, especially with broader enthusiasm tied to recent Mario-related entertainment. Starfield also had a notable April, reaching eighth place after its PS5 launch and fresh content updates gave players new reasons to jump in. Housemarque’s Saros finished ninth despite launching on the final day of the month, which makes its debut particularly impressive. Mario Kart World rounded out the top 10.
The top 10 best-selling games in the US for April 2026 were: Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, Pragmata, Crimson Desert, MLB: The Show 26, Windrose, Pokemon Pokopia, Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2, Starfield, Saros, Mario Kart World.
Looking at the year as a whole, Resident Evil Requiem remained the best-selling game in the US for 2026 through the end of April. Crimson Desert held onto second place, while MLB: The Show 26 ranked third. Pokemon: Pokopia and WWE 2K26 followed in fourth and fifth, respectively. NBA 2K26 continued to post strong numbers in sixth, while Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 sat in seventh. Arc Raiders slipped to eighth, and the strong launch by Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream pushed it into ninth for the year. Minecraft completed the year-to-date top 10.
The top 10 best-selling games in the US for 2026 so far were: Resident Evil Requiem, Crimson Desert, MLB: The Show 26, Pokemon: Pokopia, WWE 2K26, NBA 2K26, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Arc Raiders, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream, Minecraft.
Hardware was another bright spot in April. Spending on gaming hardware rose 34% year over year to $261 million, indicating that consumer demand for consoles remains strong. Switch 2 once again led the market as the best-selling hardware platform in both units sold and dollar sales, continuing Nintendo’s momentum in the early phase of the system’s lifecycle. PS5 finished second for the month, and its long-term position in the market also remains solid. On a time-aligned basis, the PS5’s lifetime installed base is now 2% ahead of where the PS4 stood.
Nintendo hardware spending reached its highest level since July 2025, another sign that the company is benefiting from a combination of fresh hardware demand and a major exclusive software release. Altogether, April’s results paint a picture of a healthy US games market, with strong software launches, growing hardware sales, and a standout performance from one of Nintendo’s biggest releases of the year. If this pace continues, 2026 could end up being one of the stronger years the industry has seen in recent memory.
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