Marvel's Spider-Man 2, developed by Insomniac Games, has successfully web-slinged its way to the top, marking it as an authoritative presence on the UK's physical games chart. In a landscape dominated by power-packed releases, the sequel's robust performance proves the strength of both the PlayStation and Spider-Man brand across the pond.
The PlayStation 5 exclusive Spider-Man sequel comfortably claimed the coveted No. 1 slot, surpassing stiff competition, especially from Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. Wonder. According to Christopher Dring from GamesIndustry.biz, it isn't merely a better-selling game compared to Mario's latest adventure but it achieved the distinction of being the fourth-biggest physical game launch in the UK this year. It follows closely behind high-profile titles like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, EA Sports FC 24, and Hogwarts Legacy in terms of physical copies sold during their respective debut weeks.
Notably, the performance metrics are only indicative of physical sales, with digital data expected to be unveiled later. Physical sales of Spider-Man 2 saw a dip of 20% compared to the thunderous launch of God of War: Ragnarok. But, this comparison might be premature without the inclusion of digital sales figures, which have seen significant growth in the past few years. The emphasis on digital sales has risen exponentially since 2018, especially this year as titles such as Alan Wake 2 and Baldur's Gate 3 have preferred digital-only releases (at least temporarily, for the latter), rendering a direct comparison with its predecessor, the original Spider-Man, rather challenging. In fact, Spider-Man 2's physical sales were 38% lower than the first Spider-Man title released in 2018, a testament to the increasing shift towards digital downloads in the gaming realm.
