In August 2025, NBA 2K26 and the Switch 2 contributed to an increase in video game spending, according to the US monthly charts
In August 2025, NBA 2K26 emerged as the top-selling premium game, reaching fifth in the year's overall rankings. It dominated sales on both PlayStation and Xbox for the month.
Notable new entries on the list include Mafia: The Old Country, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Gears of War: Reloaded, and Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar, ranking third, fourth, sixth, and nineteenth, respectively.
Circana analysts reported a projected 11% rise in total U.S. spending on gaming hardware, content, and accessories in August 2025, reaching $4.7 billion. This increase is attributed to robust Nintendo Switch 2 sales and a growth in mobile spending.
Yearly sales figures show a 1% uptick compared to 2024, with hardware expenditures up by 20% despite a 6% drop in accessories, leading to a total of $37.3 billion. Monster Hunter: Wilds by Capcom continues to lead this year's sales charts.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is outperforming PlayStation 4's previous sales records, selling 2.4 million units in three months—5% more than the PS4's 2.2 million and 77% more than the original Switch. Monthly hardware spending increased 32% compared to the previous year, totaling $312 million.
In mobile gaming, Monopoly Go! maintained its top position in consumer spending, alongside Royal Match, Last War: Survival, and Candy Crush Saga.
According to Sam Aune from Sensor Tower, "Newcomers like Kingshot and Royal Kingdom have entered the US top ten, while longtime favorites such as Gardenscapes and Homescapes have dropped to the top twenty. Games like Clash Royale and Free Fire have also resurged, with Free Fire notably surpassing Call of Duty: Mobile recently, a feat not achieved since 2022."
Monopoly Go!'s dominance remains in the U.S., though its lead isn't as expansive as in early 2024. Despite concerns over the mature mobile gaming market, growth opportunities still exist.
Leading games from August 3 to August 30, 2025, according to Circana:
| Rank | Last Month Rank | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | NEW | NBA 2K26 |
| 2 | NEW | Madden NFL 26 |
| 3 | NEW | Mafia: The Old Country |
| 4 | NEW | Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater |
| 5 | 1 | EA Sports College Football 26 |
| 6 | NEW | Gears of War: Reloaded |
| 7 | 3 | Donkey Kong Bananza* |
| 8 | 2 | EA Sports MVP Bundle |
| 9 | NEW | EA Sports Kickoff Bundle |
| 10 | 24 | Demon Slayer: Kimestsu no Yaiba: The Hinokami Chronicles 2 |
| 11 | 6 | Minecraft^ |
| 12 | 5 | Call of Duty 6: Black Ops 6 |
| 13 | 10 | Grand Theft Auto 5 |
| 14 | 25 | Helldivers 2 |
| 15 | 7 | Forza Horizon 5 |
| 16 | 8 | Grounded 2 |
| 17 | 13 | WWE 2K25 |
| 18 | 23 | Hogwarts Legacy |
| 19 | NEW | Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar |
| 20 | 9 | Red Dead Redemption 2 |
* Digital sales not included for marked titles
^ Digital sales on Nintendo platforms not included