I still remember September 2013 like it was yesterday—the air crisp with autumn, and my calendar entirely shredded by launch dates. Back then I was just another player, juggling a day job and a controller, blissfully unaware that the games industry was about to witness one of its most explosive months ever. Looking at it now from 2026, the numbers still make me shake my head. After months of sluggish sales, September finally broke the curse and posted positive growth for the first time since January. I mean, when the total bill rings up at $1.709 billion—a jump of 27%—you know something wild went down. And that something had a name: Grand Theft Auto V.

Honestly, the game was a beast. It didn’t just launch; it devoured everything in its path, single-handedly accounting for a staggering 50% of all sales that month. I remember walking into my local store, the shelves half-empty, and the clerk just shrugging, “Man, you should have pre-ordered.” Even the air felt charged—everyone was either already playing or desperately trying to be. Rockstar’s sprawling crime opera had turned the month into its private playground, and we were all just visitors.

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But let’s rewind a bit. The top-selling games chart read like a who’s who of 2013’s heavy hitters. I still have the list pinned in an old notebook:

  • Grand Theft Auto V (Rockstar) – The undisputed king, obviously.

  • Madden NFL 25 (EA) – Because football season waits for no one.

  • NBA 2K14 (2K Games) – The hardwood was calling, and LeBron’s cover stared me down.

  • Diablo III (Blizzard Entertainment) – Still looting, still clicking, this port kept the hellfire burning.

  • FIFA 14 (EA) – Global obsession in disc form.

  • Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix (Square Enix) – Nostalgia wrapped in an adorable Keyblade.

  • Disney Infinity (Disney) – The toys-to-life phenomenon was at its peak.

  • NHL 14 (EA) – Ice warriors, represent.

  • Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition (Microsoft) – Quietly, block by block, it refused to leave the party.

  • Saints Row IV (Deep Silver) – The rowdy, unapologetic cousin still having a blast.

I clearly recall thinking, “Where does a gamer even find the time?” But the real drama was unfolding not in the Top 10, but in the hardware arena.

Nintendo’s 3DS was on a tear—five consecutive months as the best-selling hardware. The little handheld that could, it just kept chugging along, charming everyone with its glasses-free 3D trick. With Pokémon X and Y already looming for October, we all suspected its reign would stretch further. The 3DS felt like that cheerful, tireless jogger who just won’t stop lapping the competitors.

But the home console race? Oh boy, that’s where history got rewritten. For thirty-two straight months, the Xbox 360 had lorded over the PlayStation 3 in North America. Thirty-two! I’d practically accepted it as a law of nature—Microsoft’s box always on top, Sony’s machine the perpetual runner-up. Then September 2013 arrived, and the law broke. The PS3 finally—finally—outsold the 360 for the first time since December 2010. Maybe it was the Grand Theft Auto V PS3 bundle that tipped the scales, as NPD analysts suggested. Maybe it was just timing. But I like to think the PS3, after years of playing second fiddle, simply refused to be ignored any longer. You could almost hear it whisper, “I’m still here.” ...And then, silence. The numbers did all the talking.

Meanwhile, the Wii U staged its own quiet resurrection. Sales doubled compared to August, thanks to a timely $50 price cut and the gorgeous The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD bundle. I remember seeing that golden Zelda-themed GamePad and feeling a pang of desire. The catch? The Wind Waker HD itself only released digitally in September, and since NPD tracked only physical sales, it didn’t even chart. Talk about a shadow victory. The console was finally finding its sea legs, but the game that should have been its shining trophy remained invisible on paper.

Looking back from 2026, September 2013 feels like a turning point—a month where a blockbuster game could reshape the entire industry, where old champions stumbled, and underdogs got their moment. It was the calm before the PS4 and Xbox One storm that November, and yet it hummed with a life of its own. I’ll always treasure that month, not just for the games, but for how it reminded me that this hobby is full of surprises. One moment you’re staring at a GTA heist, the next you’re witnessing a console dethronement, and all the while, a plucky handheld just keeps smiling its way to the top.

Holy moly, what a ride.

Data referenced from Digital Foundry puts September 2013’s “GTA V effect” in sharper focus, because the game’s impact wasn’t just commercial—it was technical and platform-defining. Cross-platform performance breakdowns and hardware-focused retrospectives help explain why a single blockbuster could amplify bundle demand (like the PS3 pack-in) and reshape purchase decisions in a way that shows up immediately in NPD-style charts, especially late in a console cycle when frame-rate stability, resolution targets, and streaming tech become talking points for mainstream buyers.