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The 10 Biggest Video Game Hits of 2016

Image source: Cisco.

How does a title that was first released in 2013 wind up one of 2016’s biggest games? Grand Theft Auto V shipped more than 10 million copies last year (more than 70 million total), and its online mode has been an ongoing cash cow for Take-Two.

Grand Theft Auto V

Image source: Take-Two.

Image source: Square Enix.

Square Enix’s Final Fantasy XV was released at the end of November and has already sold somewhere around six million copies – the fastest start in franchise history.

Final Fantasy XV

Overwatch quickly racked up a massive player base and won more “Game of the Year” awards than any other 2016 release. It’s now cemented as one of Activision Blizzard’s biggest franchises.

Overwatch

Image source: Activision Blizzard.

Madden NFL 17 logged more player hours than any series release in the last five years. Engagement for the game’s Ultimate Team mode (a driver of digital sales) was also up 20% year over year.

Madden NFL 17

Image source: Electronic Arts.

Sony’s Uncharted 4 was the year’s most successful first-party exclusive on a console platform. The hit PlayStation 4 game sold more than 8.7 million copies from its May release through Dec. 21.

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Image source: Sony.

Take-Two’s NBA 2K17 sold at a record pace for the series, received great reviews, and generated the franchise’s best-ever revenue from in-game purchases. Virtual purchases increased roughly 160% over the prior year’s installment.

NBA 2K17

Image source: Take-Two.

Image source: Electronic Arts.

Electronic Arts scored a big hit in the shooter category with its 2016 release Battlefield 1. Cowen & Company estimates that the game will sell 16.5 million copies.

Battlefield 1

FIFA17 was a great performer even by the series’ lofty standards. The game stands as the franchise’s fastest-selling entry, and drove strong digital sales.

FIFA 17

Image source: Electronic Arts.

Nintendo’s Pokemon Go scored massive popularity, delivering the first huge hit in augmented reality and quickly becoming one of the most successful mobile games ever. Record sales for Nintendo’s other 2016 Pokemon releases suggest that the game also boosted the popularity of the overall brand.

Pokemon Go

Image source: Nintendo.

Image source: Nintendo.

Nintendo’s latest entries in the Pokemon series landed to huge success, and set records for the company’s fastest-selling releases in America, Europe, and Australia. Combined sales for the two versions of the game will be higher than any other 2016 release.

Pokemon Sun and Pokemon Moon

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