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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

PlayStation 5 remains the market leading format, with sales once again driven by pricing activity on the standard version of the console. PS5 sold very slightly more units in July than it did in June. By the end of July, PS5 sales are up 68% compared with the same period last year. That's already jumped further in August.

The same isn't true for Nintendo Switch, which saw sales slide 15% in July compared with the month before. Year-to-date, Switch sales are down 8.5% for the first seven months of the year.

In third position is Xbox Series S and X. Microsoft's console saw sales tumble 12% in July compared with June. So far this year, Xbox console sales are down 22.8%.

As an aside, sales of PS4 are up 331% so far this year.

2009's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and 2012's Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 were two of the best-selling video games in the UK last month.

Both games had their matchmaking fixed on Xbox platforms, and were also discounted in the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale, which sent Modern Warfare 2 to No.5, while Black Ops 2 returns at No.4.

Both Xbox and PlayStation ran aggressive digital game sales, which have transformed the chart. Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 jumped up to No.2 and No.3 respectively. Both of Rockstar's games were discounted on all Xbox and PlayStation platforms, with the PS4 versions on sale for under £15.

In total, 2.36 million digital and physical AAA video games were sold in the UK during July, up 31% over the year before.

1.66 million games were sold via digital download stores (up 40% year-on-year), while 701,000 were sold via physical outlets (up 12%).

Finally, nearly 550,000 accessores were sold in the UK during July, a drop of 3% over June and 3% over July last year.

The charts are dominated by Sony DualSense controllers. The White edition retakes No.1 from the Black version, while Starlight Blue rises 14 places to No.18 and Grey Camo jumps five places to No.5. The Cosmic Red edition also jumped 11 positions to No.20. The controllers have benefitted from strong sales of PS5, plus some pricing activity at major retailers. The rest of the Top Ten is made up of Xbox controllers and Turtle Beach headsets, with Ear Force 50X at No.7 and Ear Force 50P at No.10.

UK GSD July 2023 Top 10 (Digital + Physical)​

Position	Title
1	FIFA 23 (EA)
2	Grand Theft Auto 5 (Rockstar)
3	Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar)
4	Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (Activision Blizzard)
5	Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – 2009 Edition (Activision Blizzard)
6	Hogwarts Legacy (Warner Bros)
7	F123 (EA)
8	Minecraft (Mojang)
9	Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – 2022 Edition (Activision Blizzard)
10	Diablo 4 (Activision Blizzard)

Xbox backwards compatibility sends old Call of Duty games back into the Top Five | UK Monthly Charts

2009's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and 2012's Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 were two of the best-selling video games in …

www.gamesindustry.biz

 

[jm89]

sales of PS4 are up 331% so far this year

 

[Banjo64]

Would still be an attractive option if it was £150 instead of £250.

 

[Fake]

Sales of PS4 are up 331%

HL

 

[Horseganador]

-PS5 sales are up 68% compared with the same period last year.
-Microsoft's console saw sales tumble 12% in July compared with June. So far this year, Xbox console sales are down 22.8%.

 

[mansoor1980]

ps4

 

[Woopah]

• XBS being down more in its third year than Switch in its 7th year is blowing my mind
• Its good to see both physical and digital sales increasing
• Data shows the importance of deep discounts on pushing digital sales
• This was Pikmin's chance to break out, but it hasn't done it in the UK.

 

[Mung]

The differing fortunes of ps5 and xbox series consoles are stark.

 

[Dr_Ifto]

You'd think that you would start seeing XBOX improve after this strong June showcase and Starfield right around the corner.

PS4 beasting is something to see.

 

[lh032]

erm....isnt starfield one of the biggest game coming out soon? Series performance doesnt look good for Microsoft, unless people starts to buy series consoles this month?

 

[Saber]

It doesn't look like Starfield is building hype for Xbox.

 

[Ronin_7]

August should be massive for PS5 & Also September.

Jimbo winning in it's homeland

 

[gokurho]

-PS5 sales are up 68% compared with the same period last year.
-Microsoft's console saw sales tumble 12% in July compared with June. So far this year, Xbox console sales are down 22.8%.

The differing fortunes of ps5 and xbox series consoles are stark.

• XBS being down more in its third year than Switch in its 7th year is blowing my mind
• Its good to see both physical and digital sales increasing
• Data shows the importance of deep discounts on pushing digital sales
• This was Pikmin's chance to break out, bit it hadn't done it in the UK.

It doesn't look like Starfield is building hype for Xbox.

Xbox does not revolve around console sales…

 

[MasterCornholio]

Xbox does not revolve around console sales…

I still believe sales are important for them.

 

[emivita]

PS4 vs XS:

 

[Robb]

Xbox just keep falling. Will be interesting to see if StarField has any major effect (assuming it’s good).

If new software doesn’t boost it I guess they’re just screwed.

 

[skyfinch]

This Cerny guy is a beast.

 

[gokurho]

I still believe sales are important for them.

Console sales are not important at all.

 

[Sleepwalker]

The new fifa (eafc) is out next month and yet fifa 23 is in first place. Wow.

 

[Del_X]

Xbox just keep falling. Will be interesting to see if StarField has any major effect (assuming it’s good).

If new software doesn’t boost it I guess they’re just screwed.

I mean it'll still be on Game Pass and PC. It's not like MSFT needs to push consoles to sell this game. Accessing it still requires an Xbox app via streaming.

I do think this obsession with hardware will end. Hell, I'd bet Microsoft starts porting titles to Apple silicon in the next couple years.

 

[Mung]

Console sales are not important at all.

So what you are saying is that their sub, revenue and profit numbers are totally unrelated to console sales figures, and increasing or reducing console sales (even to zero) would have no impact on any of those metrics? Not a chance

 

[Robb]

I mean it'll still be on Game Pass and PC. It's not like MSFT needs to push consoles to sell this game. Accessing it still requires an Xbox app via streaming.

I do think this obsession with hardware will end. Hell, I'd bet Microsoft starts porting titles to Apple silicon in the next couple years.

Sure, what they want are subscribers first and foremost - not hardware sales.

But it’ll still be interesting to see what happens.

 

[mckmas8808]

You'd think that you would start seeing XBOX improve after this strong June showcase and Starfield right around the corner.

Why? Xbox has turned into a GamePass machine. There's a ceiling to how many people actually want that.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Shouldn't the title say "other platforms" for #3?

Oh wait, that's Circana (still a stupid name change, lol)

Obligatory, still no 60fps patch. They're going to pull a GTAV style update (if ever) and charge, aren't they?

 

[Markio128]

The new fifa (eafc) is out next month and yet fifa 23 is in first place. Wow.

Footy season has just begun in the UK and the thirst is real.

 

[Elios83]

Xbox just keep falling. Will be interesting to see if StarField has any major effect (assuming it’s good).

If new software doesn’t boost it I guess they’re just screwed.

I think it will have an effect on Gamepass monthly subscriptions.
On hardware the impact will be limited.
The game is playable on PC and even on Smart TVs through Xcloud.
The need to buy dedicated console hardware to play the specific game is just not there.

 

[jm89]

• This was Pikmin's chance to break out, bit it hadn't done it in the UK.

My fellow UK'ers have extremly bad/boring taste in games.

The fact that old call of dutys are charting will make the queen roll over in her grave.

 

[mckmas8808]

I mean it'll still be on Game Pass and PC. It's not like MSFT needs to push consoles to sell this game. Accessing it still requires an Xbox app via streaming.

I do think this obsession with hardware will end. Hell, I'd bet Microsoft starts porting titles to Apple silicon in the next couple years.

It won't! You need to stop allowing Microsoft to brainwash you to their lies. It's stupid and it'll be nice if you were to WAKE UP!

- Sony
- Apple
- Tesla
- Samsung
- Nvidia


All these companies want the most hardware sales possible, along with any software or subscription sales that they get.

 

[MrA]

Ps5 is likely close to xbox+switch again, but it continues not to be nintendos problem
I can't believe how ineptly ms has played this gen I thought would play smart enough to pull some share from Sony but instead Sony seems to be eating some of ms pie instead

 

[DeepEnigma]

• XBS being down more in its third year than Switch in its 7th year is blowing my mind

It's almost as if 11/10 games do sell systems. Which is why they want to buy up all the third parties in their "thought experiment."

 

[mckmas8808]

Sure, what they want are subscribers first and foremost - not hardware sales.

But it’ll still be interesting to see what happens.

Once again......this is NOT true. They wouldn't have made the Xbox Series S, if this was true.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

Console sales are not important at all.

Literally nobody is streaming gamepass games. So, you still need hardware.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Console sales are not important at all.

Sure, what they want are subscribers first and foremost - not hardware sales.

But it’ll still be interesting to see what happens.

And how does one grow their subscriber base when the majority now is on a certain platform they make?

Man, the New Narrative™ is real.

 

[Panajev2001a]

It's almost as if 11/10 games do sell systems. Which is why they want to buy up all the third parties in their "thought experiment."

 

[SlimySnake]

I wouldnt sound the alarm until starfield comes out and xbox underperforms.

That said, this is not a good look considering they had a fairly decent showing at e3.

 

[jm89]

Literally nobody is streaming gamepass games. So, you still need hardware.

Funnily enough MS during the FTC trial where telling the judge that streaming was only being used for trying out games, and most where still playing locally.

 

[gokurho]

And how does one grow their subscriber base when the majority now is on a certain platform they make?

Man, the New Narrative™ is real.

Literally nobody is streaming gamepass games. So, you still need hardware.

It won't! You need to stop allowing Microsoft to brainwash you to their lies. It's stupid and it'll be nice if you were to WAKE UP!

- Sony
- Apple
- Tesla
- Samsung
- Nvidia


All these companies want the most hardware sales possible, along with any software or subscription sales that they get.

I mean it'll still be on Game Pass and PC. It's not like MSFT needs to push consoles to sell this game. Accessing it still requires an Xbox app via streaming.

I do think this obsession with hardware will end. Hell, I'd bet Microsoft starts porting titles to Apple silicon in the next couple years.

The nunbers of "Gamepass subscribers" is not important at all.
The most important thing is "engagement" obviously

 

[DeepEnigma]

The nunbers of "Gamepass subscribers" is not important at all.
The most important thing is "engagement" obviously

 

[Ar¢tos]

HL

 

[BrunoCoel]

Console sales are not important at all.

Then they should stop producing more units.

 

[Mung]

The nunbers of "Gamepass subscribers" is not important at all.
The most important thing is "engagement" obviously

OK now I know you're taking the piss!

 

[Pelta88]

Down 22% in your strongest territory outside the US with your, self proclaimed, biggest game launching in less than a month?

 

[PropellerEar]

Xbox does not revolve around console sales…

 

[ulantan]

...Starfield better not be trash.

 

[DenchDeckard]

August is going to be nuts for ps5 with the fire sale.

Let's see what effect Starfield has...Microsoft betting everything on that game lol

 

[Heisenberg007]

 

[chromatic9]

Not good in one of its more favourable markets.

I'd expect more with Starfield and gamepass but it does feel like a PC game more than console. Perhaps reviews and word of mouth can help the new ip.

 

[Pop]

Xbox console sales should be trending up with Starfield right around the corner. This isn't a good look

But then again, majority of people know by now that you can just spend a dollar and play Starfield. A hell of a lot cheaper than buying a new console

 

[Shakka43]

This Cerny guy is a beast.

Quiet now. Too much noise and Phil will try to acquire him too.

 

[MasterCornholio]

August is going to be nuts for ps5 with the fire sale.

Let's see what effect Starfield has...Microsoft betting everything on that game lol

But is it too much? I guess we have to wait and see what happens.