Nintendo Switch and The Legend of Zelda Take Center Stage in UK Monthly Charts for May

The UK gaming market experienced a significant boost in May, largely attributed to the release of a major Nintendo Switch game. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom comfortably secured the top spot in the charts, even without the inclusion of digital sales data from Nintendo. This impressive launch marks the biggest Zelda game debut in UK history, with lifetime sales already surpassing most titles in the series, except for 2006's Twilight Princess and 2017's Breath of the Wild. As a result, the software market saw a nearly 30% increase in sales compared to the same period last year, with over 2.17 million titles sold. The success of Zelda was a key driver of this growth, as there were no major game releases in May 2022. Another notable release in May was Hogwarts Legacy, which launched on older generation platforms after its initial release on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S and X in February. The game's sales were predominantly on PS4, accounting for 53%, followed by Xbox One at 24%, with the remainder on current-generation consoles. LEGO 2K Drive also entered the charts, claiming the 19th spot. The impact of The Legend of Zelda extended to the console hardware market as well. According to GfK panel data, approximately 96,000 consoles were sold in May, representing a 10% decline from the previous year and a 14% drop from April. However, the Nintendo Switch ended PS5's four-month reign as the UK's best-selling console, despite experiencing a 5% month-on-month sales dip. Switch sales have seen a 28% increase over May last year. The reason for the month-on-month decline can be attributed to the release of the Tears of the Kingdom Special Edition OLED Switch in April, as well as continued sales of the special Mario edition Switch, which was launched in conjunction with the Super Mario Bros movie in March. Notably, almost 35% of all Switch consoles sold in May were the Zelda OLED version. PS5 sales saw a 23% decline month-on-month, marking the first time this year that sales were lower than the same period in 2022. Xbox Series S and X sales also decreased by 10% in May compared to April and are down compared to the same period in 2022. Overall, console sales are up 16.6% so far in 2023 compared to the previous year, with PS5 sales increasing by 81%, Switch sales down 8%, and Xbox Series S and X sales down 19%. In the accessories and peripherals sector, 441,268 add-on products were sold in the UK last month, down 9% from April and 5% from May last year. The PS5 DualSense controller remains the best-selling accessory, while the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller has risen to the second spot, boosted by the launch of the latest Zelda game. The Zelda edition of the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, which was released to coincide with the game, debuted at number 20 but was in short supply. A Switch Carry Case tie-in with Zelda also entered the charts at number 32, although this product has sold out.