As time marches ever forward, 2022 is right around the corner, and the world looks very different than it did just a few years ago. While some industries have suffered, the gaming industry has continued to grow faster than ever before, thanks much in part to people spending more and more time at home. GamesIndustry.biz has published this year’s stats in a new infographic, and while some of the information listed was expected, a few surprises can be gleaned from the numbers.
In 2021, the global games market value rose to a staggering $180.3 billion, with console games pulling in $50.4 billion and smartphone games pulling in an incredible $81.5 billion. Physical media continues to lose favor with audiences, as boxed games sold a measly $11.8 billion while digital games revenue climbed to $168.5 billion worldwide. The PC market only saw 1.1% of sales via physical editions, with 22.7% of console games selling as boxed copies.
Looking at statistics from Japan, the top-selling boxed games of the year were Monster Hunter Rise and Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl. UK charts list FIFA 22, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Minecraft as the Best-selling boxed titles of 2021.
According to Metacritic, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut and The House in Fata Morgana: Dreams of the Revenants Edition are the highest-rated titles of the year, sitting at scores of 97. The lowest-rated game is eFootball 2022 from Konami, with an extremely poor rating of 25.
The mobile market saw a boost in sales this year, with the United States alone spending $23.8 billion. The top five mobile games of 2021 by revenue were Honor of Kings, PUBG Mobile, Genshin Impact, Roblox, and Coin Master.
Turning to social media, the most discussed games on Twitter were Genshin Impact, Final Fantasy XIV, and Apex Legends. Battlefield 2042‘s trailer was the most-watched game trailer of the year, with over 21 million views.