Summer Showcases: Zelda, Doom, and Astro Bot Top the Wishlist Charts

Following a flurry of summer games showcases, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Astro Bot have emerged as the most wishlisted titles. This data, sourced from IGN Playlist, a web and mobile app tracking gamers' backlogs and play activity, offers insight into player interest over the last four weeks. It's essential to note that wishlist numbers don't necessarily translate to sales figures, as they can be influenced by factors like release dates and prior announcements. The current top three, for instance, includes games with imminent release dates, like those in September, which may have an advantage over titles with later release dates, such as Doom or Gears of War. Furthermore, this list only accounts for games featured in the showcases and new wishlists generated during this period, excluding games like GTA 6, which tops the overall wishlist charts on IGN but wasn't part of the showcases. Despite these considerations, the data provides a snapshot of what resonated with players recently and highlights some unexpected successes, such as Perfect Dark's strong showing. The swift rise of the new Zelda title to the top spot is particularly noteworthy, given its recent unveiling during Nintendo Direct as a surprise announcement. Unlike its predecessor, this game adopts a top-down approach and allows players to control Zelda for the first time. Doom: The Dark Ages impressed during Xbox's showcase, likely benefiting from its confirmed release on PS5, which expands its potential player base. Astro Bot, which initially led after its reveal at Sony's State of Play, now holds the third position. As the sequel to the well-received Astro's Playroom tech demo included with every PS5, Astro Bot might become a sleeper hit for Sony. Originally, Astro Bot was the frontrunner in wishlist numbers following the summer games showcases, with data from IGN Playlist indicating strong interest among over 43,000 gamers from May 30 to June 12. The interest in Astro Bot is somewhat surprising, given Sony's earlier statement about not releasing major new titles based on existing IP this year. However, as the successor to Astro's Playroom, which has been exposed to a vast audience through its inclusion with every PS5 sold, Astro Bot may benefit from returning players. While PlayStation claims the top spot with Astro Bot, Xbox's showcase games dominate the rest of the top ten, with Doom: The Dark Ages at number two and Gears of War: E-Day at number three. It's crucial to recognize that this chart favors newly announced games and doesn't account for pre-existing interest in titles like Assassin's Creed Shadows or Fable. The highest-ranking new IP is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, an RPG from Sandfall Interactive and published by Kepler, narrowly ahead of South of Midnight from Compulsion Games and Xbox. Kepler also has another title, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, in the top 25. Several well-received indie games, including Mixtape from Beethoven and Dinosaur and Neva, have also made the top 25, indicating a decent showing for new IP in the list. As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, especially with Nintendo's Direct video and further media coverage on the horizon, this snapshot from the summer games showcases will likely see changes in the coming weeks. GamesIndustry.biz, now part of the IGN group, will continue to share insights and data from IGN Playlist, offering ongoing analysis of gamer trends and preferences.