The January 2021 U.S NPD data has been revealed by industry analyst Mat Piscatella and shows a stark increase in revenue in the gaming space compared to this time last year. The latest findings also reveal that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War continues its best-selling game streak since November, effectively ranking it in the top 20 best-selling games in U.S history. 

The first month of the new year started off strong with video game hardware seeing a 144% increase from this time last year with $319 million accrued. Content like DLC, digital and physical copies, subscription services, and the like has also seen a notable increase with an upwards trend of 36% and video game accessories with a whopping 73%. January is always a high-traffic time for revenue sales with the holidays officially in the rear-view mirror. As work-from-home orders impact many in the United States, the refuge of gaming also continues to act as a stabilizer for those looking for something to do and even a little escapism. 

US NPD HW - Sales of video game hardware were 144% higher than January 2020, reaching $319 million. This is the highest total for a January month since the $323 million achieved in January 2011.

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) February 12, 2021

Nintendo Switch was the best-selling hardware for the month as well regarding unit sales, according to the compiled data, with the PlayStation 5 system being the highest-selling in terms of a dollar amount. 

The report continues saying that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War was January's best-selling game, continuing its streak since November in the United States. As Piscatella notes, this continuation has secured the latest title's spot in the top 20 best-selling games in United States history that has been recorded. 

Coming in hot on Black Ops' heels is Assassin's Creed: Vallhalla as the second best-selling game followed closely by Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Madden NFL 21, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons:

US NPD SW - January 2021 Top 20 Sellers pic.twitter.com/UWjd2TCiHz

— Mat Piscatella (@MatPiscatella) February 12, 2021

It will be interesting to see next month's data in comparison to last year when the holiday frenzy dies down. How long can the current games continue their peak before new arrivals start pouring in? 

Thoughts on the January 2021 NPD data and the success of the top five games? Sound off in the comment section below! 

Chivalry 2, the sequel to the popular multiplayer combat game Chivalry: Medieval Warfare, is coming on June 8. Developer Torn Banner Studios announced the sequel during IGN’s Summer of Gaming event last year. 

In addition to launching PC (via the Epic Games Store), Chivalry 2 is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. If you and your buddies don’t share the same platforms, don’t despair. Chivalry 2 features full cross-play support. For a look into Chivalry 2's features and development, check out this informative developer diary. 

Players can pre-order Chivalry 2 today to gain access to a cross-play beta event that begins March 26 and runs until March 29. You can pre-order the standard edition of the game for $39.99, which nets you the Royal Zweihänder weapon skin. Chivalry 2: Special Edition runs for $49.99, and spending the extra 10 bucks (which can only be pre-ordered digitally) rewards you with, among other things: 

• Agatha Jousting Knight Armor 
• Royal Broadsword, 
• Mason Jousting Knight Armor 
• Gold Horseman Axe 
• Roses novelty item

Chivalry 2 improves upon its predecessor with large-scale battles that support up to 64 players. In addition to the mass of humanity, the battlefield is laden with heavy siege engines and traps such as trebuchet and spike traps. A new map, The Siege of Rudhelm, hosts the return of the beloved Team Objective mode, alongside other destinations such as Team Deathmatch and Free-For-All (which players can experience themselves during the beta).

The game’s signature, one-on-one focused combat has been further refined with a free-flowing combo system that aims to speed up the action. A new subclass system expands the four base classes into 12 subclasses such as the melee/range hybrid Skirmisher or the distance-focused Poleman. 

So Chivalry fans, what do you make of the new additions and improvements coming in Chivarly 2? Share your thoughts in the comments!