News ► KINGDOM HEARTS III remains the best-selling game of 2019 YTD for the fourth consecutive month

[Sign]

KINGDOM HEARTS III maintains its position as the best-selling game of 2019 year to date for the fourth consecutive month! This information comes by way of analyst Mat Piscatella and The NPD Group, which tracks video game sales in the U.S. 

As of April, the 10 best-selling games of 2019 year to date are:

1. Kingdom Hearts III
2. Mortal Kombat 11
3. Tom Clancy's The Division 2^
4. Anthem^
5. Resident Evil 2 (2019)
6. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*
7. Red Dead Redemption II
8. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice^
9. Jump Force
10. MLB 19: The Show

* Digital sales not included
^ PC digital sales not included

These latest sales have allowed Kingdom Hearts III to break into the Top 10 sellers of the last 12 months ending in April 2019. The full list is as follows:

1. Red Dead Redemption II
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops IIII^
3. NBA 2K19
4. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate*
5. Madden NFL 19^
6. Marvel's Spider-Man
7. Assassin's Creed: Odyssey
8. FIFA 19^
9. Kingdom Hearts III
10. Battlefield V^

These aren't the only milestones Kingdom Hearts III has accomplished since its release on January 29th, 2019. Along with it becoming the second biggest launch in Square Enix history (following FINAL FANTASY XV), it's now also the fastest-selling and best-selling game in the entire KINGDOM HEARTS franchise, having surpassed the original KINGDOM HEARTS, which was last reported with 6.3 million units sold.

Regardless of whether or not Kingdom Hearts III will be able to hold on to its position in the following months, it will likely see continued success upon the release of both paid and free DLC later this year.

The paid DLC, tentatively titled "ReMIND", includes an additional scenario, Limit Cut Episode with multiple bosses, Secret Episode and boss, and an English voiceover option for the Japanese version. The free DLC consists of a new Keyblade and Form Change. More information will be released in June.

Follow Kingdom Hearts Insider on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates on The World Ends With You, Kingdom Hearts Union χ [Cross], Kingdom Hearts III and all things Kingdom Hearts! 

 

[Twero]

We had Resident Evil 2, Sekiro, Mortal Kombat 11 and none of them surpassed KH3 sales.
That's REALLY impressive.

 

[Face My Fears]

Yay! I hope Square Enix uses all that cash to work on the next KH game!

 

[Darkspawn]

Battlefield V is right below it in the rankings for sales over the last 12 months. The latter game has sold 7.3 million as of a few months ago, so KH3 has sold at least that.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Well deserved for KH3. I hope SE is really pleased with the sales and Disney is begging Nomura to make another one ASAP.

I can’t wait for the DLC, especially since I think it’ll be the thing that actually solidifies my opinion about the game since I can’t really pin down my feelings.

 

[Zettaflare]

Wonder if the game between KH3 and KH4 will reach the same numbers as its predecessor? Since it likely won't be a handheld and coming off the high of KH3 it could do as well

 

[okhi12]

Well deserved for KH3. I hope SE is really pleased with the sales and Disney is begging Nomura to make another one ASAP.

I can’t wait for the DLC, especially since I think it’ll be the thing that actually solidified my opinion about the game since I can’t really pin down my feelings.

I think I feel the same way, which is not exactly sure how to feel. Critical mode improved my opinion about the gameplay, but the DLC will be their only chance to -at least partially- fix some of the issues with the plot. I hope that in the end our feelings about the game are more on the positive side.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Wonder if the game between KH3 and KH4 will reach the same numbers as its predecessor? Since it likely won't be a handheld and coming off the high of KH3 it could do as well

I think it will have a dip in sales. KH3 was the culmination of 13 years of hype. I suspect we will see about half of the sales of KH3 from the next project. KH4 following it will be marketed on the “Return of Sora” and likely now that they know people want FF characters, they will stuff it with FF7R ones to ride the hype of that + new ones that haven’t been in the series yet. KH4 will also not cross KH3’s sales but it will be in between the new project’s sales and KH3’s.

 

[MATGSY]

Wonder if the game between KH3 and KH4 will reach the same numbers as its predecessor? Since it likely won't be a handheld and coming off the high of KH3 it could do as well

The masses don't care about spin-off games at all. It could literally named KH4 & it sells 3-4x more copies than the exact same game but with a different name.

& it's very likely there will be another mobile game, let's not kid ourselves.

 

[Harmonie]

Personally, I'm not surprised because I can hardly name a single game that has come out this year aside from KHIII, but I know that could be just me and my limited tastes.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

& it's very likely there will be another mobile game, let's not kid ourselves.

I think it is way more likely to be a Switch game.

Mobile game returns are decreasing for SE year-to-year, even with the introduction of new games based on popular IP. Their aggressive monetization model is still profitable, but the market is over-saturated which means shorter lifespans for these games. Eventually the reduced returns won’t justify the operating costs, even if they are making a lot of money initially.

Also with regulators starting to hone in on these types of games, it’s not smart for SE to invest in more mobile games until there is a clear understanding of how these games will be able to monetize themselves in the future.

So, no, that won’t be KH’s next project. UX will probably just get a relaunch with another new name before they go out of their way to make a brand new KH mobile game.

 

[Zettaflare]

Yeah I suspect DDD volume 2 will be a switch game as well. Makes sense to have a game on that console

I think it will have a dip in sales. KH3 was the culmination of 13 years of hype. I suspect we will see about half of the sales of KH3 from the next project. KH4 following it will be marketed on the “Return of Sora” and likely now that they know people want FF characters, they will stuff it with FF7R ones to ride the hype of that + new ones that haven’t been in the series yet. KH4 will also not cross KH3’s sales but it will be in between the new project’s sales and KH3’s.

I dunno I think KH4 could easily outdo KH3's sales. Especially if they continue to use modern Disney and Pixar films and more FF characters like you mentioned.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I dunno I think KH4 could easily outdo KH3's sales. Especially if they continue to use modern Disney and Pixar films and more FF characters like you mentioned.

Ehhh, I really doubt it. KH3 was very unique because of the monumental amount of hype that was created over the last decade, and it’s hard to recreate that kind of hype in an organic manner. KH3 ended on a cliffhanger (one that has upset casual and long-time fans) and while I’m sure because of that people will be eager to find out what happens, it isn’t an eagerness born of hype but of necessity to see the story through. I’m confident in thinking 7m was the ceiling for the series unless it is called the “final game” or something.

Anything following would require a massive shift in SE and Disney’s marketing strategy to make it reach that level again.

 

[saintfighteraqua]

This is good for all involved (fans, creators, publishers, and Disney).
I don't want rushed games, but I hope this pushes SE and Disney to push for a bigger budget and more resources.

 

[Recon]

I dunno I think KH4 could easily outdo KH3's sales. Especially if they continue to use modern Disney and Pixar films and more FF characters like you mentioned.

That's only if KH4 includes Disney. The secret ending didn't really hint at that.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

That's only if KH4 includes Disney. The secret ending didn't really hint at that.

The next game isn’t KH4, though.

 

[Dandelion]

That's only if KH4 includes Disney. The secret ending didn't really hint at that.

Don't be ridiculous. Disney wasn't in KH1 or Kh2's secret ending, either.

(also, the next game isn't going to be kh4)

 

[Zettaflare]

That's only if KH4 includes Disney. The secret ending didn't really hint at that.

I figured Shibuya and Shinjuku are only the hub worlds. Disney worlds should still be a part of Sora's Reaper Game

 

[MATGSY]

I think it is way more likely to be a Switch game.

Yeah I suspect DDD volume 2 will be a switch game as well. Makes sense to have a game on that console

I just can't see a Switch exclusive happening. Any game that can run on Switch can just as well be multiplatform on NS/PS4/XB1 so why not just do that? Even if there was a game that's Switch exclusive, everybody would be counting the days until it inevitably gets ported to Playstation like the handheld games before it.

 

[KH_Is_Light_999]

Well this is excellent news! I absolutely loved Kingdom Hearts III, and it makes me so happy that it sold so well! Now I'm looking forward to the DLC and whatever comes after that. I can now say that regardless of warnings, the future doesn't scare me at all.