NBA 2K26 was the best-selling video game of August in the U.S., according to industry-tracking firm Circana. The combined strength of the NBA 2K IP and the newly launched Nintendo Switch 2 kept the numbers in the green for the month, with several other new games managing to make it onto the month’s bestseller charts.
| August 2025 Dollar Sales, Millions | Aug 2024 | Aug 2025 | Change |
| Total Video Game Sales (Projected to Total Market) | $4,184 | $4,657 | 11% |
| Video Game Content (Physical & Digital Full Game, DLC/MTX and Subscription consumer spending across Console, Cloud, Mobile*, Portable, PC and VR platforms) | $3,768 | $4,177 | 11% |
| Video Game Hardware | $236 | $312 | 32% |
| Video Game Accessories | $180 | $169 | -6% |
“August 2025 projected U.S. total spending on video game hardware, content and accessories grew 11% when compared to a year ago, to $4.7 billion,” said Mat Piscatella, Circana’s executive producer for games reports. “The release of NBA 2K26 in the August tracking month (as compared to September a year ago), a 6% increase in mobile video game spending, and the continued strong Nintendo Switch 2 launch fueled the gains.”
Sales of the Switch 2 were enough to offset declines with the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles and the original Switch. Circana also notes that the Switch 2 is pacing ahead of the sales of the original Switch during the same time on market, and even slightly ahead of the PlayStation 4’s first three months on the market.
| Year-to-Date 2025 Dollar Sales, Millions | YTD 2024 | YTD 2025 | Change |
| Total Video Game Sales (Projected to Total Market) | $37,056 | $37,331 | 1% |
| Video Game Content (Physical & Digital Full Game, DLC/MTX and Subscription consumer spending across Console, Cloud, Mobile*, Portable, PC and VR platforms) | $32,941 | $32,845 | 0% |
| Video Game Hardware | $2,391 | $2,859 | 20% |
| Video Game Accessories | $1,724 | $1,628 | -6% |
On the gaming side of the charts, non-mobile subscription spending grew 25% year-over-year. Accessory spending itself was down by 6% across the board, with the one exception being racing controllers, which actually grew in August. The Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller was the best-selling accessory of the month.
Circana August 2025: Top 20 best-selling games in the U.S.
| Rank | Last Month Rank | Title | Publisher |
| 1 | NEW | NBA 2K26 | Take-Two Interactive |
| 2 | NEW | Madden NFL 26 | Electronic Arts |
| 3 | NEW | Mafia: The Old Country | Take-Two Interactive |
| 4 | NEW | Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater | Konami Digital Ent. |
| 5 | 1 | EA Sports College Football 26 | Electronic Arts |
| 6 | NEW | Gears of War: Reloaded | Microsoft (Corp) |
| 7 | 3 | Donkey Kong Bananza* | Nintendo |
| 8 | 2 | EA Sports MVP Bundle (2025) | Electronic Arts |
| 9 | NEW | EA Sports Kickoff Bundle (2025) | Electronic Arts |
| 10 | 24 | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Hinokami Chronicles 2 | Sega |
| 11 | 6 | Minecraft^ | Multiple Video Game Publishers |
| 12 | 5 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | Microsoft (Corp) |
| 13 | 10 | Grand Theft Auto V | Take-Two Interactive |
| 14 | 25 | Helldivers II | Sony (Corp) |
| 15 | 7 | Forza Horizon 5 | Microsoft (Corp) |
| 16 | 8 | Grounded 2 | Microsoft (Corp) |
| 17 | 13 | WWE 2K25 | Take-Two Interactive |
| 18 | 23 | Hogwarts Legacy | Warner Bros. Games |
| 19 | NEW | Story of Seasons: Grand Bazaar | Marvelous Entertainment |
| 20 | 9 | Red Dead Redemption II | Take-Two Interactive |
^ Digital sales on Nintendo platforms not included
Sports games continue to dominate the charts, both in the overall monthly list and for each of the individual platforms. NBA 2K26 is the best-selling game of the month, followed shortly after by Madden NFL 26, which is also part of the EA Sports Kickoff Bundle. It was also the best-selling game on PlayStation and Xbox, while Madden NFL 26 was the best-selling title on PC and the second-best on Switch.
]A handful of games have jumped up the list from further down, including Kirby and the Forgotten Land on Nintendo platforms (probably thanks to the expansion Star-Crossed World, which launched at the end of August).
Helldivers 2 also made a jump up the best-sellers list, likely due to its launch on Xbox Series X/S and major update on August 26th. The game doesn’t appear on the official Xbox chart, but Piscatella noted on Bluesky that Circana is still trying to confirm the game’s Xbox sales.
Circana August 2025: 20 best-selling games of 2025 so far
| Rank | Last Month Rank | Title | Publisher |
| 1 | 1 | Monster Hunter: Wilds | Capcom USA |
| 2 | 3 | EA Sports College | Electronic Arts |
| 3 | 2 | The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: Remastered | Microsoft (Corp) |
| 4 | 4 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | Microsoft (Corp) |
| 5 | NEW | NBA 2K26 | Take-Two Interactive |
| 6 | 5 | MLB: The Show 25^^ | Multiple Video Game Publishers |
| 7 | 6 | Elden Ring: Nightreign | Bandai Namco Entertainment |
| 8 | 8 | WWE 2K25 | Take-Two Interactive |
| 9 | 7 | Kingdom Come: Deliverance II | Plaion |
| 10 | NEW | Madden NFL 26 | Electronic Arts |
| 11 | 9 | Split Fiction | Electronic Arts |
| 12 | 11 | Forza Horizon 5 | Microsoft (Corp) |
| 13 | 12 | EA Sports MVP Bundle (2025) | Electronic Arts |
| 14 | 10 | NBA 2K25 | Take-Two Interactive |
| 15 | 13 | Minecraft^ | Multiple Video Game Publishers |
| 16 | 14 | Civilization VII [Sid Meier’s] | Take-Two Interactive |
| 17 | 15 | Grand Theft Auto V | Take-Two Interactive |
| 18 | 16 | PGA Tour 2K25 | Take-Two Interactive |
| 19 | 17 | Doom: The Dark Ages | Microsoft (Corp) |
| 20 | 18 | EA Sports FC 25 | Electronic Arts |
^^ Digital sales on Nintendo and Xbox platforms not included
Sports games continue to dominate, as NBA 2K26 and Madden NFL 26 are the only games to come out in August to make it on the year’s best-seller chart so far. The rest of the year’s charts have remained relatively unchanged, despite the relatively high number of new launches that have made it onto the month’s best-seller chart.