Crimson Desert Sees 12% Spending Growth Yet Fails to Enter Top-10 Best-Selling Games in March 2026, While Marathon Secures a Spot

US Video Game Sales Report: March 2026 Overview

Mat Piscatella, the executive director at Circana and a notable analyst in the video game industry, revealed the sales data for March 2026. Notably, MLB The Show 26 dominated the charts, contributing to an impressive 12% growth in consumer spending compared to the same month in the previous year. Other titles, including Crimson Desert and Pokémon Pokopia, also played significant roles in this uplift.

Top-Selling Games of March 2026

Despite the buzz surrounding Crimson Desert, which Piscatella identified as a catalyst for spending growth, the game did not break the top 10. It achieved a respectable position at 15th place, surpassing Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, which saw a revival from 165th to 16th place following its release on PC.

The top 10 chart featured several noteworthy titles, with Pokémon Pokopia ranking fifth, while Bungie’s new extraction shooter, Marathon, secured the fourth spot.Resident Evil Requiem took second place, behind the leading MLB The Show 26, with WWE 2K26 settling in third.

March 2026 Top 20 Best-Selling Premium Games – U. S.(Dollar Sales, Physical and Digital from digital data sharing publishers, excludes add-on content)

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2026-04-22T13:00:07.431Z

Understanding Sales Dynamics

It is essential to note that these rankings are influenced by dollar sales rather than units sold. Although Crimson Desert emerged as a leading title in terms of projected total spending, its dollar sales were insufficient to place it within the top 10. This positioning renders Marathon‘s fourth place particularly impressive, especially considering it retails for $40 USD, while Crimson Desert is priced at $70 USD.

Year-to-Date Sales Rankings

In examining the overall rankings for best-selling games in the US for 2026 up to this point, MLB The Show 26, WWE 2K26, Marathon, Pokémon Pokopia, and Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection have made the list, whereas Crimson Desert did not. As it stands, MLB The Show 26 has climbed to the second position in annual sales, behind Resident Evil Requiem.

2026 Year-to-Date Top 20 Best-Selling Premium Games – U. S.(Dollar Sales, Physical and Digital from digital data sharing publishers, excludes add-on content)

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2026-04-22T13:00:07.432Z

A Closer Look at Sales Figures

Interestingly, despite Crimson Desert achieving over 5 million copies sold, its absence from the top sales charts suggests it may have found greater success in international markets. Conversely, Marathon, which reported around 1.2 million copies sold, has captured a more concentrated audience in the US, enabling it to be featured prominently in sales rankings.

Hardware Sales Insights

Shifting focus to hardware, March 2026 proved to be a significant month for the Nintendo Switch 2, which emerged as the best-selling console and drove a remarkable 69% increase in hardware spending compared to March 2025. The PlayStation 5 followed closely, seeing a 3% increase in spending year-on-year.

As the Switch 2 approaches its one-year anniversary, Piscatella noted that unit sales exceed those of the original Switch by 12% within the same timeframe.

Hardware – March hardware spending grew by 69% when compared to a year ago, to $500M. Nintendo Switch 2 drove the overall gain, while PlayStation 5 spending increased by 3% compared to March 2025.

— Mat Piscatella (@matpiscatella.bsky.social) 2026-04-22T13:00:07.433Z

Conclusion

In summary, March 2026 marked a vibrant period for the U. S.video game sector, witnessing substantial increases across software, hardware, and accessories. It remains to be seen how long Resident Evil Requiem will maintain its position as the best-selling game this year and whether Capcom will experience continued success in placing titles among the top five, following the success of Monster Hunter Wilds in the previous year.

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