Highlights
- Physical sales of Forza Motorsport have been disappointing in the UK, likely due to the decline in consumers buying boxed video games and the rising popularity of digital sales.
- Xbox Game Pass is likely the reason behind Forza Motorsport's low sales, as consumers can access the entire game for their Game Pass subscription fee instead of buying it at full price.
- GfK's data, which only considers physical sales, does not account for digital sales, so Forza Motorsport could still be performing well in the digital market.
The newly-released Xbox console exclusive Forza Motorsport has failed to reach the top 20 highest-rated games sold in its debut week in the UK, according to GfK's boxed sales data. Previous Forza games had much stronger physical sales debuts in the UK, but there could be a very reasonable explanation as to why the new Forza Motorsport hasn't made as big of a splash in the physical sales market.
Physical sales in general are not nearly what they used to be, with fewer consumers buying boxed video games than ever before. In fact, rumors indicate that some retailers may go as far as ending their sales of boxed Xbox games as the platform has become increasingly digital. Not only are digital sales on the rise, but all first-party Xbox games can be played at a fraction of what it would cost to buy them new.
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It seems highly likely that Xbox Game Pass is the reason why Forza Motorsport failed to crack the top 20 in its debut week. After all, why would consumers buy Forza Motorsport at full price when they can get access to the entire game for nothing more than their Game Pass subscription fee. It's also worth pointing out that GfK's data doesn't take digital sales into account, meaning Forza Motorsport could still be doing well digitally, even with Game Pass in mind.
Best-Selling Games in the UK
1. EA Sports FC 24
2. Assassin's Creed Mirage
3. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
4. Lords of the Fallen
5. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
6. Red Dead Redemption
7. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
8. The Grinch: Christmas Adventure
9. Hogwarts Legacy
10. Minecraft
GfK's report has revealed the top 10 best-selling games in the UK for the week ending on October 14, with EA Sports FC 24 unsurprisingly taking the top spot. EA Sports FC 24 was followed by Assassin's Creed Mirage, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Lords of the Fallen, Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope, the Red Dead Redemption re-release, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, The Grinch: Christmas Adventure, Hogwarts Legacy, and Minecraft.
It's possible if Xbox Game Pass didn't exist that the new Forza Motorsport would have had no trouble reaching not just the top 20, but the top 10. Microsoft itself has admitted that Xbox Game Pass cannibalizes game sales, and so it's likely that a world without Game Pass would've seen the new racing game perform much better in terms of sales.
Microsoft's goal is to get as many Xbox Game Pass subscribers as possible, so it seems as though that's worth sacrificing direct sales to some extent. Those interested in the new Forza Motorsport can buy it directly, or they can play the game through Xbox Game Pass right now. Forza Motorsport reviews were mostly positive, so it seems like a safe bet for racing game fans.
Forza Motorsport is out now for PC and Xbox Series X.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz