biteho.com

March 2020 was a record-breaking month for both Nintendo Switch and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, with Animal Crossing achieving the third highest launch month physical dollar and unit sales of any Nintendo published game and passing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare as the best-selling game of the month.

As revealed by NPD’s video game analyst Mat Piscatella, Animal Crossing: New Horizons sits only behind Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Smash Bros. Brawl for the highest launch month physical software sales. Launch month sales of New Horizons have exceeded the lifetime sales of all other Animal Crossing titles, which makes this newest entry the best-selling game in franchise history.

The Nintendo Switch set a new all-time record for hardware unit sales in a March month, besting the previous high that Nintendo has held since the launch of the Switch in March 2017. Switch has also generated the highest Q1 unit sales for any hardware platform since the Nintendo DS in Q1 2010, a number that also had to deal with Switch shortages around the world.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2019/12/20/the-biggest-games-coming-in-2020″]

Hardware sales are up 63% from March 2019 and have reached $461 million. Nintendo Switch sales have more than doubled and PlayStation 4 and Xbox One both saw more than a 25% rise. Q1 2020 hardware spending is up 2% from Q1 2019 and is at $773 million.

As for March as a whole, spending across video game hardware, software, accessories, and game cards totaled $1.6 billion, which is a 35% increase over March 2019. The $1.6 billion milestone is the highest earned in a March month since March 2008’s $1.8 billion. However, year-to-date sales total $3.0 billion, which is a 4% decline compared to last year.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=every-2020-video-game-release&captions=true”]

After Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, MLB: The Show 20, Resident Evil 3, and NBA 2K20 round out the top 5 best-selling games of March 2020. The full list is as follows:

March 2020’s Best-Selling Games

1. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
3. MLB: The Show 20
4. Resident Evil 3
5. NBA 2K20
6. Doom Eternal
7. Persona 5: Royal
8. Grand Theft Auto V
9. Borderlands 3
10. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe
11. Nioh 2
12. Red Dead Redemption II
13. FIFA 20
14. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
15. Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Rescue Team DX
16. Madden NFL 20
17. Just Dance 2020
18. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
19. Mortal Kombat 11
20. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2: Remastered

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/21/animal-crossing-new-horizons-april-free-update-trailer”]

Some important notes on the above games include MLB The Show instantly becoming the 5th best-selling game of 2020 and fastest-selling game in MLB The Show franchise history, a number that may have been bolstered by the delay of the MLB season to to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is now the best-selling game of 2020 and March sales of Call of Duty franchise titles are the highest they have been since March 2010.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake is an anticipated return to one of Square Enix’s most beloved properties, and it’s showing in the sales figures. The company announced that in just the first three days (having launched on April 10), the game sold 3.5 million copies.

The official FF7 Remake Twitter announced the sales figure with a thank you to fans. That figure includes copies both shipped and sold digitally, so it may not be sell-through to consumers. But several more days have passed since the initial launch weekend, so the tally is likely even higher by now.

It’s an impressive figure made more so by the fact that the game launched on only one platform, the PlayStation 4. It has a one-year exclusivity window on PS4, so it’s expected to come to other platforms on or after April 10, 2021. No platforms have been announced, so it could come to PC, Xbox One, or next-gen platforms. This is just the first part of the full FF7 story, and a release date hasn’t been announced for Part 2.

“Regardless of your history with the original game, Final Fantasy VII Remake is an astounding achievement,” Tamoor Hussain wrote in GameSpot’s review, which earned a rare 10/10. The wait for its release was a long one, but in gameplay, story, characters, and music, it delivers–the wait was worth it. For first-time players, it’s an opportunity to understand why Final Fantasy VII is held in such high regard. It’s the chance to experience a multifaceted story that grapples with complex subject matter, be in the company of memorable characters, and be moved by their plight. For returning fans, this isn’t the Final Fantasy VII your mind remembers, it’s the one your heart always knew it to be.”

For more on FF7 Remake, check out our full listing of guides and walkthroughs. and check out some cool Easter eggs in the video above.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is set to receive a new content update this week, introducing two new merchants to the game and expanding the already extensive Blather’s Museum.

Launching on April 23, the free content update will introduce both Leif and Jolly Redd into the pool of visiting merchants. Leif’s Garden Shop will stock all sorts of flora, including tree saplings, unique seeds, and a variety of colorful shrubs to spruce up your island.

Jolly Redd will set up shop on his ship, which will occasionally dock on your island. There you’ll be able to purchase artworks and sculptures for bells, as well as uniquely colored furniture for your home. In line with previous Animal Crossing entries, you’ll have to determine what artworks are real and which are fake. Genuine art can then be donated to the museum, which will now feature a whole new wing dedicated to your sculptures and artworks for display.

The update will also usher in the first of multiple events over the next two months, starting with Nature Day. From April 23 through May 1, you can earn additional Nook Miles Points by completing nature-friendly challenges, such as planting trees and watering plants. You can check out the full event schedule here.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons has been a hit for Nintendo, and it’s easy to see why. In our Animal Crossing: New Horizons 9/10 review, critic Kallie Plagge praised its improvements and breadth of content, saying, “New Horizons certainly came at the right time, and its strengths are particularly comforting right now. I’m as excited to see what random events await me each morning as I am glad to have it during hard times, and that’s sure to keep me coming back for the foreseeable future.”

Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ April 2020 update will arrive on April 23 and will add the Nature Day seasonal event, a museum expansion with an Art Gallery, Leif and Jolly Redd as new merchants, hints at future events like Wedding Season, and much more.

Nature Day will run from April 23 to May 4, and will help celebrate our real world Earth Day that takes place on April 22. This update also gives us a glimpse at future events, including May Day Tour from May 1 – May 7, International Museum Day from May 18 – May 31, and the previously mentioned Wedding Season from June 1 – June 30.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/21/animal-crossing-new-horizons-april-free-update-trailer”]

Nature Day will feature special Nook Miles challenges that are focused on such activities as planting trees and watering flowers. May Day Tour will allow players to use a one-time May Day Ticket to go on a limited-time tour to a special island that may include “a special visitor who looks familiar.”

International Museum Day brings a Stamp Rally to Animal Crossing: New Horizons and will have player viewing fish, insects, and fossils they’ve collected and getting stamps for visiting exhibits. Wedding Season will take place at Harvey’s Island and will let players meet the married couple Reese and Cyrus. They will also be able to arrange and take anniversary photos with them in the wedding-picture studio, and earn wedding-themed items as a reward.

Leif the sloth will bring his Garden Shop to your island and he will allow you to buy the newly added shrubs, like the White-azalea or the orange-tea-olive. Jolly Redd the fox will bring his Treasure Trawler boat to your shores and will offer artwork and furniture in exchange for bells.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=animal-crossing-new-horizons-april-2020-update&captions=true”]

The museum expansion adds an Art Gallery that includes paintings, sculptures, and much more, many that are modeled after real world masterpieces.

While you prepare for all these new updates and events, be sure to check out our Animal Crossing Wiki Guide that can help you make bells fast, conquer the Turnip Market, and much more. In addition, read everything we know about Leif the Sloth and Earth Day and discover the best real-world Turnip tools that will help you get the best return on investment.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/04/09/16-things-we-loved-and-didnt-about-animal-crossing-new-horizons”]

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Horror fans looking for something new to play on Xbox One this week will want to check out the this week’s sale on the Xbox Store. Microsoft’s Un-Halloween Horror Sale features discounts on dozens of horror and suspense titles, including multiplayer games such as Friday the 13th: The Game and Dead by Daylight. The sale is live now and runs through April 27.

Though most of us are currently spending more time at home nowadays, you can still connect with friends and loved ones through online multiplayer. Dead by Daylight: Special Edition is discounted to $12 (was $30), while Friday the 13th: The Game is down to just $5 ($20). At this point, the player base for Friday the 13th is probably pretty small, but Dead by Daylight still receives regular updates. It’s a great time to check out what these asymmetrical survival horror games have to offer. Additionally, open-world survival horror game 7 Ways to Die is slashed to $18 (was $30).

A bunch of story-driven horror games are also on sale, including a pair of great games from Polish studio Bloober Team. Layers of Fear, a creepy adventure revolving around a tortured artist, is $5 (was $20). Alternatively, you can pick up a bundle including Layers of Fear and sci-fi horror game Observer for $16 (was $40). Set in 2084, Observer stars a detective who has the ability to hack into the minds of others.

Those looking for something even grittier can pick up the Outlast: Bundle of Terror for $5 (was $25), which comes with the sadistic base game and Whistleblower DLC. Outlast puts you in the shoes of investigative journalist who visits a psychiatric hospital filled with homicidal patients. The sequel, Outlast 2, pushes the unsightly horrors to the max and is also steeply discounted at $7.49 (was $30)

You can browse the full Un-Halloween Horror Sale on the Xbox Store and check out our picks below. If you own a Nintendo Switch or PS4, you can still shop spring sales at the Switch Eshop and PlayStation Store, too.

Best deals at Xbox Store

Nintendo has outlined some of what players can expect from Animal Crossing: New Horizons over the next two months. Updates for the hit Nintendo Switch game will bring not only new features and visitors, but also a series of events that dot the calendar from now through the end of June, including Nature Day, May Day Tour, International Museum Tour, and Wedding Season. Here’s when each one starts and what we know about it so far.

Nature Day

• Dates: April 23 – May 4

The one impending event we already knew was coming, thanks to a Nintendo Direct mini broadcast, was a celebration of Earth Day, which takes place on April 22. Specific details and dates hadn’t been shared previously except that Leif would return in some capacity. Nature Day begins on April 23 and will see special Nook Miles+ objectives that involve planting trees, watering flowers, and taking advantage of a new feature–the ability to plant shrubs.

May Day Tour

• Dates: May 1-7

During this week-long event, beginning May 1, you’ll get a one-time ticket–the May Day Ticket–to head out on a May Day Tour from the airport. Nintendo says that the location you’ll head to will be different from the usual mystery tour deserted islands, and based on the video, it appears you’ll have to navigate a hedge maze. Nintendo also teases, “A special visitor who looks familiar might also be there…” Based on the video, that’ll be Rover.

International Museum Day

• Dates: May 18-31

The museum is set to receive an expansion for art as part of a New Horizons update that brings back returning character Redd. Starting on May 18, there will be a Stamp Rally event that equips you with a stamp card that you can fill out by browsing the fish, insects, and fossils you’ve collected. Collecting stamps will lead to an unspecified reward.

Wedding Season

• Dates: June 1-30

During June, you can visit Harv’s island to encounter Reese and Cyrus, a married couple and another returning set of characters from the series’ past. Given the photography-themed nature of Harv’s island, you’ll be decorating a studio and taking anniversary photos. Rewards include “wedding-themed items.” (This wouldn’t be the first time the game helped facilitate a wedding of some sort.)

WarnerMedia has announced that its new streaming platform HBO Max will officially launch on May 27.

The new streaming service will be available to U.S. customers for $14.99 per month (the same price as HBO Now), with approximately 10,000 hours of content available to viewers from day one, including a mix of original projects and an extensive lineup of library and acquired programming. Existing HBO customers will get access to HBO Max at no extra charge.

Where all of HBO meets your favorite shows, movies, and new Max Originals. Streaming May 27.

Sign up for updates: https://t.co/e3U0f0wgAV pic.twitter.com/SbBjZ0smb8

— HBO Max (@hbomax) April 21, 2020

Launch day originals include the scripted comedy Love Life, starring Anna Kendrick; Sundance 2020 Official Selection feature documentary On the Record; underground ballroom dance competition series Legendary; Craftopia, hosted by YouTube star LaurDIY; all-new Looney Tunes Cartoons, from Warner Bros. Animation; and Sesame Workshop’s The Not Too Late Show with Elmo.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=everything-coming-to-hbo-max&captions=true”]

The service will also launch with a large selection of library titles such as Friends, The Big Bang Theory, Doctor Who, Rick and Morty, plus CW shows such as Batwoman, Nancy Drew, and Katy Keene, the first season of DC’s Doom Patrol, and much more, with the platform expected to add the complete libraries of South Park, Gossip Girl, The West Wing, and many others in the first year of launch.

In addition to TV series, specials, and documentaries, HBO Max will feature a catalogue of more than 2,000 feature films within the first year, including titles from Warner Bros., New Line and DC such as Joker, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman, as well as a mix of films acquired specifically for HBO Max via Warner Bros., the Criterion Collection, and the acclaimed Studio Ghibli.

HBO Max officially acquired U.S. streaming rights to Studio Ghibli films last year, meaning that 20 films from Japan’s legendary animation arthouse will be available on the platform at launch, including Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, as well as fan-favourites My Neighbor Totoro, Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, and Kiki’s Delivery Service, while The Wind Rises will join the collection in the Fall.

[ignvideo url=”https://www.ign.com/videos/2015/11/20/our-favorite-studio-ghibli-films-ign-anime-club”]

“Our number one goal is having extraordinary content for everyone in the family, and the HBO Max programming mix we are so excited to unveil on May 27 will bear that out,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman of WarnerMedia Entertainment and Direct-To-Consumer. “Even in the midst of this unprecedented pandemic, the all-star teams behind every aspect of HBO Max will deliver a platform and a robust slate of content that is varied, of the highest quality, and second to none. I’m knocked out by the breadth and depth of our new offering, from the Max originals, our Warner Bros library and acquisition titles from around the world, and of course the entirety of HBO.”

After the initial launch, Max Originals will continue to premiere on the streamer at a regular cadence throughout Summer and Fall, so there is a significant amount of content in the works. In fact, it was recently revealed that three high-concept projects from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot are in development – a DC Comics-inspired series using characters from Justice League Dark; a show set at The Shining’s infamous Overlook Hotel; and a 1970s-set drama about a getaway driver.

[widget path=”global/article/imagegallery” parameters=”albumSlug=every-delayed-movie-due-to-coronavirus-so-far&captions=true”]

The highly anticipated Friends unscripted cast reunion will also be released on the platform at a later date, as the production was delayed indefinitely amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer were all set to return to the original soundstage, where the show started out about 25 years ago, to film the special on March 23 and March 24, but plans had to be postponed.

The good news is that, even without the Friends reunion special, HBO Max will have plenty of content to offer subscribers when it launches next month, as it attempts to compete with the likes of Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and the Disney+ platform. If you want to find out more about these services, check out our breakdown of the state of the streaming wars so far.

[poilib element=”accentDivider”]

Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.