Even without digital data, Overwatch tops US June charts

Blizzard’s Overwatch fared well enough on consoles that even without its digital PC sales being taken into account, the shooter still topped NPD’s US charts for June.

However, the year-on-year comparisons for the overall market were pretty bleak, with difficult comparisons to last year’s June launch of Batman: Arkham Knight.

PS4 was once again the best hardware seller, meaning Sony’s unbeaten run now stretches from October 2015.

The total market fell 22 per cent to $652.2m, with hardware down 42 per cent to $313.1m. Console and handheld software sales fell 20 per cent to $402.7m, while physical and digital Steam software sales fell 20 per cent.

New game launches for the period dropped a massive 67 per cent, with 1.8m fewer units shifted. Arkham Knight sold five times the number of units than this year’s biggest new June release, LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Note that Steam, PSN and Xbox Live sales data from a number of publishers is included here for the first time.

Here’s the June software Top Ten:

1. Overwatch (excluding Battle.net digital PC sales)
2. Grand Theft Auto V
3. Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens
4. Doom 2016 (excluding digital sales)
5. Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst
6. Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (excluding digital sales)
7. NBA 2K16
8. Call of Duty: Black Ops III
9. Destiny: The Taken King
10. Minecraft (excluding digital sales)