Microsoft might have secured a major victory against Sony in the contentious Activision deal, but Sony is still asserting its dominance with PlayStation titles in the UK, displaying no signs of slowing down any time soon.
Based on the latest GfK Boxed Top Ten chart for the week concluding on August 5, Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga skyrocketed from its previous sixth place position to claim the top spot. The LEGO-themed action-adventure game, one of the games Sony has bundled with the PS5, witnessed a remarkable 116% surge in sales, nudging EA Sports’ FIFA 23 to the second spot with an accompanying 11% decline in sales.
Sony’s exclusive Norse mythology, God of War Ragnarok, made a remarkable leap, vaulting from thirteenth place all the way up to sixth place, thanks to an impressive 79% increase in sales. Right on its tail is Spider-Man: Miles Morales, which showcased an even more remarkable ascent, catapulting from No. 25 to seventh place after a 113% boost in sales.
The upcoming release of Neil Blomkamp’s sports biopic Gran Turismo is evidently casting a spotlight on the franchise. This anticipation has translated into a remarkable 114% rise in sales for Gran Turismo 7, propelling it from a modest No. 21 to the eighth spot on the charts. Meanwhile, the Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut made a return to the Top 40, featuring at No. 33, courtesy of a substantial 73% step-up in sales.
Given the recent reduction in the console’s price, it’s hardly surprising that PlayStation 5 titles are reigning supreme on the charts. Just before the data for this period was compiled, Sony announced its first price reduction for the PS5 Standard Edition console, reducing its cost from £479.99 to £399.99 in the UK.
Retailers like Currys even sweetened the deal by bundling the supposedly outgoing flagship console with Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker to boost sales. Moreover, the norm is that physical game copies are generally more budget-friendly than their digital counterparts, especially on day one. As a result, most budget-conscious gamers tend to gravitate toward boxed games.
Custom-themed PS5 bundles have also played a huge part in the sales growth of Sony’s flagship console; case in point: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 limited-edition PS5 console. The preorders for the special-edition PS5 console were launched on July 28, and the majority of retailers have already marked it as sold out.
If Sony can find continued success with this strategy, we can expect to see PS5 titles take up more spots in the top ten very soon.
