UK Gaming Market Sees Boost in Q1 2023, Driven by Hogwarts Legacy and PS5

The UK gaming market experienced a significant upswing in the first quarter of 2023, with game sales increasing by 1% compared to the same period last year, according to data from GSD and GfK. Approximately 8 million games were sold, a notable achievement considering the major launches in Q1 2022, including Pokémon Legends: Arceus, Elden Ring, and Horizon: Forbidden West. The success of the software market can be attributed to Hogwarts Legacy, which has become the fastest-selling video game in the UK outside of FIFA and Call of Duty since Red Dead Redemption 2. It has already outsold two of last year's best-selling games: LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and Elden Ring. The console hardware market also saw a substantial increase of 24.2% in the first quarter, driven by the PS5, which is now widely available and accounted for over half of the market. PS5 sales have risen by over 180% for the first three months of the year. In contrast, Nintendo Switch sales declined by over 25%, while Xbox Series S and X sales were down 18% for the first quarter. Delving into the March market data, sales were slightly down, with 2.7 million digital and physical games sold, representing a 3% year-on-year decline. The Resident Evil 4 remake took the top spot, despite launching late in the month, with 65% of its sales on PlayStation platforms, 20% on Xbox, and 15% on PC. Hogwarts Legacy settled for second place, while the next biggest new release, WWE 2K23, came in at No.4, with sales 20% lower than its predecessor. The action-adventure game Tchia debuted at No.6, and Metroid Prime Remastered entered the Top Ten at No.9, based solely on physical sales. In terms of consoles, sales dropped 3% to 138,000 consoles sold compared to February, but jumped 23% over last March. The PS5 was the No.1 console in March, with sales slipping slightly, while the Nintendo Switch came in second, with a minor increase in sales. The next three months will be crucial for the Switch, with the launch of the new Super Mario movie and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Xbox Series S and X sales were down 10%. In accessories, 616,045 add-on products were sold during March, a 20% increase over February but a 3.7% decline compared to March 2022. The Xbox Wireless Controller (Carbon Black) became the best-selling accessory by volume, following a price cut, while Sony's DualSense Edge Wireless Controller topped the revenue charts. The UK GSD March 2023 Top 10 includes Resident Evil 4 Remake, Hogwarts Legacy, FIFA 23, WWE 2K23, Grand Theft Auto 5, Tchia, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Red Dead Redemption 2, Metroid Prime Remastered, and NBA 2K23.