Best video games of 2021 that don’t have ‘FIFA’ in the title

By Victoria McNally via SWNS

One in seven gamers believe ”FIFA 2022” is the best game of 2021.

The latest installment in the long-running soccer series beat out several bestselling releases to be crowned the year’s most popular game, based on a recent survey of 2,000 Americans. 

That includes even other sports titles like “MLB: The Show 21,” “NBA 2K22 and “Madden NFL 22,” the latter of which is currently the second-highest selling game of the year — but which only tied for fifth among those polled. 

Meanwhile, the game with the most copies sold, “Call of Duty Vanguard,” came in at a close second, followed by “Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl,” 3D remakes of the fourth generation of Pokémon games.

And while 2020’s “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” broke records to become the best selling Nintendo Switch title of all time, the recent “Happy Home Paradise” downloadable content merely placed fourth.

Reported as part of OnePoll’s “Best of 2021” research series, this year’s top 21 favorites included a wide range of genres and player modes, with almost just as many role-playing games featured as first-person shooters. 

However, all of the top-ranking titles did have one thing in common: they each serve as a sequel, remake, or video game adaptation of an existing franchise.

The highest-ranking titles featuring original intellectual property, “Deathloop” and “The Forgotten City,” both tied for 25th place on the list. 

TOP GAMES OF 2021

1. “FIFA 2022” (13.5%)
2. “Call of Duty: Vanguard” (12.7%)
3. “Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl” (11.7%)
4. “Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Paradise DLC” (11.6%)
5. [Tie] “Madden NFL 2022” (10.9%)
6. [Tie] “Mario Party Superstars” (10.9%)
7. “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba: The Hinokami Chronicles”(10.8%)
8. “Resident Evil: Village” (10.40%)
9. “Age of Empires IV” (10.3%)
10. “Battlefield 2042” (10.1%)
11. “Back 4 Blood” (10.0%)
12. “NBA 2k22“ (9.9%)
13. “Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury” (9.8)%
14. “Forza Horizon 5” (9.5%)
15. [Tie] “Hitman 3” (9.2%)
16. [Tie] “Monster Hunter Rise” (9.2%)
17. “F1 2021” (9.1%)
18. [Tie]  “Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart” (8.9%)
19. [Tie]  “Tales of Arise” (8.9%)
20. [Tie] “New Pokémon Snap” (8.8%)
21. [Tie] “Psychonauts 2” (8.8%)