The NPD Group has released their predictions for the best-selling hardware and software of 2018.

2018 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for the games industry, according to NPD analyst Mat Pistacella. Taking to the company's blog, Priscella noted that numerous games this year managed to set launch month franchise records for their franchises. Far Cry 5, God of War, Monster Hunter: World, Dragon Ball: FighterZ, and MLB 18: The Show have all performed well. Hardware also continues to post strong numbers with PS4 exceeding expectations and is the current leading seller in units and dollars.

However, with the holiday board now set, it's time to predict how the rest of the year will pan out. Despite a strong lead currently, Priscella does not expect PS4 to be the highest selling console of 2018. Instead, the analyst expects the Switch to narrowly edge out Sony's console thanks to Pokemon Let's Go! Pikachu/Eevee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Unlike Nintendo, Sony does not have a huge first-party title launching during the holiday season.

Despite this, Priscella expects all consoles to do extremely well by the time 2018 ends. PS4, Xbox One, and Switch are each expected to sell over 4 million units in the US with total hardware sales coming in at 17.5 million units.

In terms of software, Priscella expects a tight race between Red Dead Redemption 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, but expects Rockstar's anticipated title to edge out the next entry in the Call of Duty series. If this comes to pass, it will be the first time in nearly a decade a Call of Duty title won't be the best-selling title of the year. Battlefield V, NBA 2K19, and Far Cry 5 round out the top 5.

Obviously, take this all with a grain of salt. These are just the NPD Group's predictions, and though they are quite good at their job, it is difficult to predict market fluctuations months in advance. We'll keep you updated as we barrel towards to the holiday season.