Thanks to the release of Sony's PlayStation 5 and Microsoft's Xbox Series X last week, video game players of all kind have multiple new titles to sink their teeth into. The launch titles for these next-generation consoles have brand-new properties like Bugsnax, but returning franchises reign supreme; with Assassin's Creed Valhalla taking top billing in terms of physical sales in the UK.
For the week of November 8 to November 14, 2020, overall boxed game sales were up 96 percent from the week before, according to GamesIndustry.biz. Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Valhalla took up the most real estate with 42 percent of sales on PS4, 18 on PS5, and the remaining 40 across all Xbox platforms. Activision's Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War came in second, notable for being the first Call of Duty game in 13 years to not top the list during its debut week.
That being said, GamesIndustry cautions that the overall performance of these games may be different with all tallies taken into account, given the industry-wide increase in digital sales due to the coronavirus pandemic. Activision Blizzard Marketing Director Anna Malmhake told Call of Duty news site CharlieIntel that Black Ops Cold War set a new franchise record for first-day digital sales worldwide, and marketing analysts expect the game to outperform Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
While Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Black Ops Cold War topped the UK physical sales chart last week, they were not the only next-gen launch titles represented. Insomniac Games' Spider-Man: Miles Morales came in third, while Bluepoint Games' remake of Demon's Souls came in sixth. FIFA 21 moved from first to fourth place, while Watch Dogs: Legion moved from fourth to tenth place.
The remainder of the list is taken up by Nintendo Switch games. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Mario 3D All-Stars, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe made the top ten, as did the Switch port of Mojang Studios' Minecraft. The Super Mario 3D All-Stars collection has had a UK presence since September, and according to GamesIndustry it increased in sales by 40 percent week-on-week, possibly due to a new television marketing campaign.
It's likely PS5 titles will have a larger presence starting next week, as the PS5 is currently only available in select regions and will launch on November 19 in the UK. In the meantime, reports suggest the Xbox Series X/S have broken Microsoft's Xbox One sales record in the region, so it will be interesting to see how the new console generation plays out from here.
Assassin's Creed Valhalla is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Sources: GamesIndustry.biz, CharlieIntel
