Tomodachi Life tops April console revenue chart as Nintendo scores a surprise hit

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream became the top console game by revenue in April 2026 across major Western markets, beating Fortnite, EA Sports FC 26, NBA 2K26, and MLB The Show 26. The result comes from Newzoo’s April 2026 market charts, which track engagement and revenue across PC and console platforms.

The result is notable because the console engagement chart itself barely changed. Fortnite remained the most played console game by monthly active users, followed by Roblox, Grand Theft Auto V, Call of Duty HQ, Minecraft, Rocket League, EA Sports FC 26, Rainbow Six Siege, NBA 2K26, and Apex Legends. That shows how hard it is to break into the top engagement ranks, where the same live service games continue to dominate.

Revenue told a different story. Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream entered at number one and became the top new console release by revenue so far in 2026. The game benefited from Nintendo Switch’s large existing audience because it is not limited to Switch 2. That gave it a much wider launch base than newer exclusives such as Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza.

New games are still finding room on revenue charts even when live service giants dominate playtime

The April chart shows an important divide in the games market. The most played games are still mostly entrenched free to play giants, but spending can shift more quickly when a premium release connects with players. Tomodachi Life is a strong example of that. It did not need to beat Fortnite in monthly active users to beat it in revenue for the month.

NBA 2K26 also climbed to fourth place, helped by strong console performance and its availability through Game Pass. That shows how subscription access can keep annual sports games active beyond their launch window. Call of Duty HQ also moved up to sixth, while Roblox and Minecraft gained positions as well.

Pragmata made its console revenue debut at number 10, giving Capcom another sign that its new IP is finding an audience. Crimson Desert slipped to seventh after a strong earlier showing, but it remained inside the top 10.

The PC side showed a similar split between stable engagement and changing revenue. Counter Strike 2 stayed at the top of PC monthly active users and also climbed to number one in PC revenue. Fortnite held second in PC revenue, while the pirate themed survival crafting game Windrose debuted at number three. Pragmata also entered the PC revenue chart at number eight.

Diablo IV had one of the strongest movements on PC, rising 11 spots after the launch of its Lord of Hatred expansion and its new endgame systems. World of Warcraft fell after the earlier boost from its Midnight expansion, while Valorant and League of Legends both moved upward.

The broader trend is clear. Live service games still control the top of engagement charts, especially on console and PC. But revenue charts are becoming more flexible, with new premium games breaking into the top 10 when they launch with strong demand, clear identity, or strong replay value.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream is the standout example for April. Nintendo’s social life sim did not need to become the most played game in the market to become the biggest console earner of the month. That makes its number one debut one of the more surprising commercial wins of 2026 so far.