2017 in video games


2017 saw the release of numerous video games as well as other developments in the video game industry. The Nintendo Switch console was released in 2017, which sold more than 14 million units by the end of the year, exceeding the under-performing Wii U lifetime sales. This has helped to revitalize Nintendo, along with the "retro" Super NES Classic Edition console, the refreshed New Nintendo 2DS XL handheld and a strategy for mobile gaming. Microsoft also released the higher-powered Xbox One X targeted for 4K resolutions and virtual reality support.
Series with new installments in 2017 include Assassin's Creed, Bomberman, Bubsy, Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, Danganronpa, Dawn of War, Destiny, Digimon, Dragon Quest, Doom, Dynasty Warriors, Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem, Forza Motorsport, Gran Turismo, Gravity Rush, Halo Wars, Injustice, Kingdom Hearts, Kirby, Life Is Strange, Marvel vs. Capcom, Mass Effect, Metroid, Need for Speed, Nier, Persona, Planescape: Torment, Pokémon, Prey, Professor Layton, Resident Evil, Sniper Elite, Sniper: Ghost Warrior, Sonic the Hedgehog, Splatoon, Star Wars Battlefront, Super Mario, Tekken, The Evil Within, The Legend of Zelda, Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon, Uncharted, Wipeout, Wolfenstein, WWE 2K, Xenoblade Chronicles, Yakuza and Yoshi.
In addition, 2017 saw the introduction of several new properties, including Arms, Cuphead, Doki Doki Literature Club!, ELEX, Fortnite, Hellblade, Hollow Knight, Horizon, Nioh, and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.

Legend

Hardware releases

The following is a list of game-related hardware released in 2017:
Nintendo released two systems this year; the Nintendo Switch, which helped save the company in the home console industry from the failure of the Wii U, and the New Nintendo 2DS XL, the final revision model of the Nintendo 3DS as well as the final entry in the Nintendo DS family overall.
Microsoft also released the Xbox One X, the second revision model of the Xbox One and the main competitor to Sony's PlayStation 4 Pro.
As of 2026, the Nintendo Switch is the 3rd best-selling video game console of all time, right behind the Nintendo DS and PlayStation 2.
DateConsole
January 10New Shield Android TV
March 3Nintendo Switch
June 15New Nintendo 2DS XL
July 13New Nintendo 2DS XL/
July 28New Nintendo 2DS XL/
September 29Super NES Classic Edition/
September 30Super NES Classic Edition
October 5Super NES Classic Edition
November 7Xbox One X

Financial performance

According to analyst firm Newzoo, the video game industry had in global revenues, a 10% growth from 2016. This growth was primarily driven by mobile gaming, as 43% of those revenues came from this sector, a growth of 23.3% from 2016. Of the remaining, 29% came from consoles hardware and games, and 28% from personal computer games. SuperData similarly estimated the global video game market in 2017 was around, driven heavily by free-to-play mobile and computer games. Analyst firm Sensor Tower, which tracks revenue within the mobile industry, reported that of the in total revenues in 2017, came from mobile games.
Within the United States, the video industry grew from 2016 by 18% to a total revenue of, with from hardware sales and from software and microtransactions, according to NPD Group and the Entertainment Software Association. Further, was spent on mobile gaming in 2017 in the United States, according to Sensor Tower.

Highest-grossing games

The following were 2017's top ten highest-grossing video games in terms of worldwide revenue across all platforms. Six of the top ten highest-grossing games are published or owned by Tencent, including the top three titles.
RankGameRevenuePublisherGenrePlatformBusiness model
1Honor of Kings / Arena of Valor$2,400,000,000TencentMOBAMOBIFree-to-play
2League of Legends$2,100,000,000Riot Games / TencentMOBAWINFree-to-play
3Dungeon Fighter Online $1,900,000,000Nexon / TencentBrawlerWINFree-to-play
4Monster Strike$1,641,000,000MixiPhysicsMOBIFree-to-play
5Crossfire$1,605,000,000Smilegate / TencentFPSWIN, MOBIFree-to-play
6Fantasy Westward Journey$1,500,000,000NetEaseMMO, RPGMOBIFree-to-play
7Clash Royale$1,200,000,000Supercell StrategyMOBIFree-to-play
8Clash of Clans$1,200,000,000Supercell StrategyMOBIFree-to-play
9Call of Duty: WWII$1,000,000,000Activision FPSBuy-to-play
10Fate/Grand Order $982,000,000Aniplex RPGMOBIFree-to-play

Highest-grossing free-to-play games

The following were the top ten highest-grossing free-to-play games in 2017. Six of the top ten titles were published or owned by Tencent, including the top three titles.
RankGameRevenuePublisherGenrePlatform
1Honor of Kings / Arena of Valor$2,400,000,000TencentMOBAMOBI
2League of Legends$2,100,000,000Riot Games / TencentMOBAWIN
3Dungeon Fighter Online $1,900,000,000Nexon / TencentBrawlerWIN
4Monster Strike$1,641,000,000MixiPhysicsMOBI
5Crossfire$1,605,000,000Smilegate / TencentFPSWIN, MOBI
6Fantasy Westward Journey$1,500,000,000NetEaseMMO, RPGMOBI
7Clash Royale$1,200,000,000Supercell StrategyMOBI
8Clash of Clans$1,200,000,000Supercell StrategyMOBI
9Fate/Grand Order $982,000,000Aniplex RPGMOBI
10Lineage 2: Revolution$980,000,000Netmarble GamesMMO, RPGMOBI

Sensor Tower reported that the highest-grossing mobile games were the free-to-play titles Monster Strike, Honor of Kings, Fate/Grand Order, Clash Royale, and Candy Crush Saga. The top-grossing mobile games in the United States were Candy Crush Saga, Game of War: Fire Age, Clash of Clans, Mobile Strike, and Clash Royale.

Best-selling premium games

The following were the top ten best-selling premium games in 2017. Four of the top ten titles were published by Nintendo.
RankGameUnits soldRevenueGenrePublisherPlatform
1PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds 30,000,000$900,000,000Battle royalePUBG Corporation
2Call of Duty: WWII< 19,630,000$1,000,000,000FPSActivision
3Grand Theft Auto V / Online15,000,000$521,000,000Action-adventureRockstar Games
4Super Mario Odyssey9,070,000PlatformerNintendoNS
5Star Wars: Battlefront II9,000,000ShooterElectronic Arts
6Pokémon Sun / Moon / Ultra Sun / Ultra Moon8,530,000RPGNintendo / The Pokémon Company3DS
7The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the WildAction-adventureNintendo
8Mario Kart 8 / Deluxe7,470,000Racing Nintendo
9FIFA 17$409,000,000SportsEA Sports
10Overwatch$382,000,000ShooterBlizzard Entertainment WIN