UK Sales of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Soar 92% Above Vanguard's Launch

The UK gaming market experienced a significant boost in October, with 2.83 million games sold, representing an 11.2% increase from the previous year. Digital downloads accounted for 1.75 million of these sales, a 36% rise year-over-year, while physical retail sales declined by 14% to 1.1 million. The success of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was the primary driver of this growth, with its opening week sales surpassing those of its predecessor, Call of Duty: Vanguard, by 92%. The game's sales were dominated by PlayStation formats, which accounted for 57% of total sales, followed by Xbox platforms at 33% and PC at 11%. Other notable performers included FIFA 23, which saw a 6% increase in sales compared to the previous year, and Gotham Knights, which debuted at number three in the charts. The new release of Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope entered the charts at number five, although its launch was not as strong as its predecessor. The console hardware market experienced a slight decline, with 175,000 units sold in October, a 1% drop from the previous month. The PS5 maintained its position as the top-selling console, narrowly ahead of the Xbox Series X and S, while the Nintendo Switch saw a 5% increase in sales and overtook the Xbox One in terms of all-time console sales in the UK.