Launch of Zelda OLED Edition Boosted Switch Sales in UK in April
In spite of the Switch's increased sales, the PS5 managed to maintain its top position as the highest-selling console in the UK for April.
The launch of the Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom special edition Switch OLED in the last week of April fueled an increase in Nintendo Switch sales in the UK.
According to new GfK data (via GamesIndustry.biz), sales of the Switch in April 2023 saw a 26% increase compared to March, and a 30% increase compared to April 2022. The major reason behind the surge in sales was the new Zelda edition of the console, launched towards the end of April (and two weeks prior to the game's release), which managed to make up 29% of all Switch consoles sold during that month.
However, despite the increase in sales of the Switch, the Play Station 5 retained its position as the best-selling console in the UK during April. Compared to March, sales of the PS5 declined by 35% in April, but still showed a 15% increase from the same period last year.
The Xbox Series S|X ranked third – its sales dropped by 32% in April compared to March, but experienced an 8% increase from the previous year's corresponding period.
The total number of consoles sold in the UK in April was just under 111,000, indicating a 20% decrease from March but a 20% increase from April 2022.
Regarding the software, approximately 2.2 million PC and console game titles were sold in the UK in April, according to GSD data. This includes physical sales and most digital sales (except for Nintendo and a few others). The 2.2 million figure reflects an 8% decrease from the same period last year, partly due to the success of Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga in that year.
The best-selling game in the UK for April was Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which had over 30% more UK launch sales than its predecessor, Fallen Order. It was followed by Dead Island 2 which came in second place and FIFA 23 in third place.
You can find more data on the UK market in April here. Also, don't forget to join our 80 Level Talent platform and our Telegram channel, follow us on Instagram and Twitter, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.
