For the period from January 29 to February 25, 2023, the video game industry in the United States generated a turnover of 4.6 billion dollars, an increase of 6% compared to February 2022. All the merit goes to the sales of consoles and more particularly of PS5, whose finally substantial stocks allow the turnover hardware to jump 68% compared to last year. It’s simple, with 495 million dollars generated by console sales, we had not seen the segment hardware also in shape at this time of year for 14 years ($534 million in February 2009).
The PS5 rocket takes off for good
The availability of the PS5, therefore, is the essential factor in this fine result, the Sony Interactive Entertainment console taking the lead in sales at the start of the year, whether measured in volume or value. By scratching a little to get some additional information, we even learn that the PS5 has made the best month of february all PlayStation consoles combined. For the time being, the Xbox Series does not benefit from the same improvement: it is the Switch which has been in second position in sales since the beginning of the year.
Prince Harry, yes it’s him
The increase in sales of games and content is less notable, the turnover software amounting to 3.89 billion dollars against 3.83 billion dollars last year, but the simple fact that there is an increase is already a performance, knowing that the month of February 2022 had set the bar high with titles like Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West and Dying Light 2: Stay Human. This year, no less than 7 novelties are appearing in the top 20. But obviously, the prowess is to be credited to one title in particular.
With 12 million games sold worldwide in the space of 2 weeks, Hogwarts Legacy: The Legacy of Hogwarts has exceeded all forecasts and even allows itself to start stronger than the Elden Ring phenomenon, while the WB game Games had to do without the PS4, Xbox One, and Switch editions. Quite logically, the Harry Potter game immediately takes its place at the top of the year’s sales and it will be interesting to see how long it can stay there, like the FromSoftware game which had held its rank until record launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in November.
Courtesy of HBO
The other new releases are in the middle of the table and honor in order Wild Hearts (#8), Like a Dragon: Ishin (#9), Octopath Traveler II (#10), Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe (#15) , Company of Heroes 3 (#16) and even Theatrhythm Final Bar Line (#20). At Nintendo, which is content with a short month with 3 games in the top 20, Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe clearly does not start on the same bases as Kirby and the Forgotten World, but the opposite would have been surprising. If Fire Emblem Engage came out of the top 20, just like Forspoken and One Piece Odyssey, the tactical role-playing game is still among the best sellers of the current year.
Already noticeable in January, the HBO effect is even clearer on the February ranking. The Last of Us Part I therefore gains a few more places and grabs 6th place, just that. And why not aim for the top 10 again in March with the reinforcement of the PC version? At the same time, the strongest progression of the month is to be credited to The Last of Us Part II, which returns to the top 20 while the PS4 exclusive was no longer even in the top 40 a month earlier. Here are some who did not have the patience to wait for Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey to shoot season 2.
- Also Read | The results of the previous month
