In a considerably stunning flip of occasions, it was the Harry Potter-inspired recreation, Hogwarts Legacy, that ended the yr because the No. 1 best-selling online game within the UK. Because of this for the primary time in over 10 years, the EA sports activities soccer franchise, formally referred to as FIFA, is ‘not’ the biggest-selling recreation within the nation.
This has not been the case since all the way in which again in 2013 when Grand Theft Auto 5 ended the yr within the No.1 place. So far as 2023 goes, there are a selection of things which will have contributed to the favored soccer franchise dropping down a spot.
For starters, 2023 was the primary yr in its 30-year historical past that the sport launched beneath a brand new title and never beneath the FIFA license. This was as a consequence of the truth that EA and FIFA had been unable to return to an settlement on new phrases for the sport and may need been the first purpose why gross sales had been barely down in comparison with latest years.
One other element contributing to the rationale why EA Sports activities FC 24 was overwhelmed to the No.1 spot by Hogwarts Legacy, was that the Wizarding World RPG was launched on most platforms again in February, whereas EA Sports activities FC 2024 didn’t hit cabinets till September.
Over half of Hogwarts Legacy’s bodily gross sales got here on the PlayStation 5, however total gross sales of the sport had been additionally boosted by releases on the PS4 in Could and the Nintendo Change in November. These a number of launch dates little doubt vastly added to the success of the title.
Within the UK all through 2023, almost 13 million bodily online game copies had been bought. Though that is a formidable quantity by any trade commonplace, it’s a lower of just about 5% in contrast with 2022. This reveals the persevering with development of players preferring to purchase their video games from on-line shops over bodily retailers.
In addition to being the No.1 promoting recreation of the yr, Hogwarts Legacy was the No.1 promoting title within the closing week of 2023, in response to the GSD charts. Regardless of dropping in gross sales week-over-week, it nonetheless managed to say the No.1 spot, squeaking by Tremendous Mario Bros Marvel, which got here in simply behind at No.2.
Another notable mentions for the week are Name of Responsibility: Fashionable Warfare 3 ending the yr within the No.3 place regardless of disappointing evaluations, and Mario Kart 8: Deluxe transferring up a few locations to the No.4 spot. Spider-Man 2, remained robust within the No.5 slot, whereas EA Sports activities FC 24, regardless of being No.2 total for the yr, dropped 5 locations this week to the No.6 place.
Beneath are the best-selling boxed video video games within the UK for the week ending December 30, 2023.
