The UK gaming charts show EA SPORTS FC 26 maintaining the top spot, with Nintendo's Switch and Switch 2 titles like Mario Kart and Metroid Prime 4 performing well, especially on the new console, indicating strong holiday sales and continued popularity of Nintendo games.
Santa Ragione's controversial horror game Horses sold over 18,000 copies despite being deplatformed from Steam and Epic Games Store, generating around $65,000 in revenue. However, the bans have significantly impacted the studio's financial stability and future prospects, leading the team to take other jobs and call for clearer platform rules and accountability.
Santa Ragione's game Horses, despite being banned from Steam and Epic, sold over 18,000 copies, generating around $65,000 in revenue, enough to repay debts but not yet enough to fund new projects. The studio criticizes platform censorship and highlights the challenges faced by developers on major digital storefronts.
Horses, a controversial indie horror game banned on Steam, sold 18,000 units in two weeks, earning $65,000 which covered its debts but was insufficient to fund future projects, likely leading to the studio's disbandment. The ban, which Santa Ragione attributes to outdated rules and lack of transparency, highlights ongoing issues with platform policies and their impact on developers.
The Game Awards significantly boosted the visibility and sales of winning games like Expedition 33, which saw a dramatic increase in daily sales and Steam followers post-event, highlighting the awards' impact on game engagement and commercial success, while other nominees experienced minimal effects.
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond has dropped from the top three to 15th in the UK physical gaming charts, which are now dominated by Switch and Switch 2 titles as the holiday season approaches, with Mario Kart World reclaiming the top spot.
Sony's recent earnings reveal that Destiny 2 has not met expectations following Sony's $3.6 billion acquisition of Bungie, leading to impairment losses and a downward revision of business projections due to changes in the competitive environment and declining player numbers.
Sony's financial report highlights Helldivers 2's strong cross-platform success, especially on Xbox, while Destiny 2 underperforms, leading Sony to revise its expectations and record a $204 million impairment related to Bungie, which remains operationally independent but with increasing integration.
Ghost of Yotei has sold over 3.3 million units in 32 days, surpassing expectations and ending online criticism, demonstrating strong support from gamers and marking a successful launch for the PS5 exclusive.
In Japan, the Nintendo Switch 2 is rapidly closing the sales gap with the PS5, with recent sales data showing the Switch 2 nearly matching the PS5 in multiformat game sales for the popular Dragon Quest series, despite only tracking physical sales and a smaller install base compared to Sony's console.
Square Enix is shifting away from PS5 exclusives, moving its major titles like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined to multiple platforms, reflecting a broader multiformat strategy that may impact sales and marketing support from Sony, with the company's recent financials showing a slight drop in net sales but increased profits from merchandise.
ARC Raiders has achieved a strong launch with 2.5 million copies sold and over $100 million in revenue within its first week, demonstrating the genre's potential for paid games through its focus on co-op, community, and accessible design. The game’s positive tone, emphasis on cooperation, and strategic onboarding have contributed to its early success, despite the genre's niche appeal and challenges with hardcore meta and live-service sustainability. Embark’s approach of combining a premium price with ongoing content updates positions it well for continued growth in a competitive market.
In October, Battlefield 6 dominated PS5 sales charts globally, outperforming expectations for Ghost of Yotei, which only managed second place despite Sony's marketing efforts. Other titles like ARC Raiders and Dispatch performed well, while Ninja Gaiden 4 and The Outer Worlds 2 struggled to make a significant impact in the charts.
Ghost of Yotei has outsold Assassin's Creed Shadows on PS5 within three weeks of its release, indicating high player interest, despite Shadows having been out for seven months. The game has received positive reviews and is considered a hit, potentially influencing future game development from the same developer. However, Shadows still leads in overall sales, and the trend suggests Yotei's dominance may grow further soon.
Pokemon Legends: Z-A sold 5.8 million copies worldwide in its first week, with about half on Nintendo Switch 2, and a significant portion of sales coming from Japan, where 1.5 million copies were sold.