As the UK retail charts are a week behind, this week’s top 40 reveals what was purchased between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. There’s always a slight shake-up within the final chart of the year, with people gaining new consoles for Christmas mostly being the reason.
Hogwarts Legacy managed to return to no.1, accompanied by news that it was the best-selling physical release of 2023 in the UK – an accolade usually held by the current FIFA entry.
The lower end of the chart also saw several games re-enter, including The Witcher III, Pokemon Scarlet, and New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. Pokemon Violet also climbed from #34 to #27.
Other games enjoying yuletide sales boosts included Animal Crossing New Horizons, Gran Turismo 7, and Mario Party Superstars. In fact, there are nine Mario games in the top 40 this week.
Speaking of which, back in the top ten, Super Mario Bros. Wonder held onto #2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III climbed to #3, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe rose to #4, while Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 hung onto #5.
Incidentally, next week, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe will have spent a resounding 350 weeks in the chart.
EA Sports FC 24 dropped from the top of the chart to #6. GTA V climbed from #10 to #7, Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate re-entered the top ten at #8, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora fell to #9, and then at #10 it’s Nintendo Switch Sports.
Minecraft exited the top ten, but chances are it’ll return in a week or two. It never strays far.