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June was a huge month for video game spending

The last time gamers spent this much on hardware, software and accessories in the month of June was 2009.

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Clifford Colby Managing Editor
Clifford is a managing editor at CNET, where he leads How-To coverage. He spent a handful of years at Peachpit Press, editing books on everything from the first iPhone to Python. He also worked at a handful of now-dead computer magazines, including MacWEEK and MacUser. Unrelated, he roots for the Oakland A's.
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The Last of Us: Past II drove June game sales.

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As we continue to stay indoors during the coronavirus pandemic, we're spending more money on video games. According to Mat Piscatalla, a video game industry analyst with NPD, spending across software, hardware, accessories and game card sales reached $1.2 billion in June, up 26% from the same month a year ago and the most spent for the month of June since 2009.

Driving spending were accessory and game card sales, which hit a record $417 million for June, a 29% increase over a year ago. Video game software sales also grew for the month, up 49% compared with a year ago, to $570 million. 

Despite launching midway through the month, The Last of Us: Part II was the best-selling game for June, and with strong sales it moved into the No. 3 slot for best-selling game of the year. Piscatalla said it was the second-biggest launch for a Sony-published game ever, behind Marvel's Spider-Man. Other top games for the month included Call of Duty: Modern Warfare at No. 2, Animal Crossing: New Horizons at No. 3 and Grand Theft Auto V at No. 4.

Hardware sales in June declined year over year by 17% to $191 million, however. Piscatalla said the Nintendo Switch was the best-selling hardware platform of June in both unit and dollar sales. For the year to date, sales reached $6.6 billion, an increase of 19% over a year ago.