Rhys Elliott
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More Chinese success as Phantom Blade Zero enjoys a big launch and becomes one of Steam's most played games
Phantom Blade Zero has achieved significant success following its release, reaching over 431,000 concurrent players on Steam and topping the global best-sellers chart. Early reviews are mostly positive, with estimates suggesting over 1 million copies sold across PC and PlayStation 5. Meanwhile, Epic Games is doubling down on its use of controversial AI tools for game development, including Fortnite and Unreal Engine 6, despite developer and community concerns.
Phantom Blade Zero will already be "well past" 1 million copies sold, analyst says, but the action RPG "won't hit the highs" of Black Myth: Wukong's "insane sales"
Market research firm Alinea Analytics estimates that Phantom Blade Zero has already surpassed one million pre-release sales across PC and PlayStation 5, with a significant portion coming from China. While these sales are strong, they are not expected to reach the "insane sales" figures of Black Myth: Wukong, which sold over 30 million copies.
Phantom Blade Zero Has Sold 500,000 Copies on Steam Ahead of Launch – Rumor
A report from Alinea Analytics suggests that Phantom Blade Zero has achieved 500,000 sales on Steam prior to its October 29th launch, generating an estimated $24 million. The game's director, Qiwei Liang, confirmed that pre-orders have exceeded expectations, and the title has garnered over three million wishlists across platforms.
Phantom Blade Zero isn't even out yet, but it could be 'one of the year's breakout hits' as it shifts half a million copies on Steam alone
Phantom Blade Zero has achieved significant pre-order success on Steam, selling an estimated 500,000 copies and generating $24 million in revenue ahead of its October 28th launch. The game also boasts 2.5 million wishlists, indicating strong potential for it to become a breakout single-player hit.
Resident Evil Requiem's physical PS5 sales were nearly twice as large as its total Xbox sales, analyst finds
An analysis of Resident Evil Requiem's sales data reveals that physical sales on PlayStation 5 nearly doubled the total revenue generated on Xbox across all formats. This finding raises questions about Sony's planned discontinuation of physical disc manufacturing in 2028, as physical sales still represent a significant portion of revenue for major titles.
Backlash to Sony ending PS5 discs comes from a "vocal minority of a revenue minority," analyst says - but that's still a community "that spends a lot of money"
An analyst suggests that the backlash against Sony ending PlayStation 5 disc production in 2028 represents a vocal minority of players, despite their significant spending habits. While physical sales remain strong for single-player titles, multiplayer games are overwhelmingly digital, a trend Sony is leveraging for cost savings and market control.
PS5’s Biggest Physical Games Look Very Different From Its Biggest Digital Hits
Data from Alinea Analytics reveals a significant split in PlayStation 5 game sales in 2026, with physical copies dominated by single-player AAA titles like Resident Evil Requiem, while digital sales hold a 70/30 lead overall. This trend is particularly pronounced in Japan for certain Capcom titles, though Sony is pushing digital-only consoles and digital versions of sports games.
Resident Evil: Requiem made more money from PlayStation discs than on Xbox in total, reportedly, as Sony's march to a discless future continues
A report indicates that physical copies of Resident Evil: Requiem sold more on PlayStation than all versions of the game on Xbox, highlighting the continued importance of physical media, especially in Japan. Despite Sony's push towards digital-only consoles and games, physical sales still represent a significant portion of revenue for many single-player titles, though this trend is less pronounced for sports games.
Ghost of Yōtei Has Sold 5.4 Million Copies, Earning $407 Million in Revenue – Rumor
A report from Alinea Analytics estimates that Ghost of Yōtei has sold 5.4 million copies and generated $407 million in revenue, falling slightly behind Ghost of Tsushima's sales figures but close in revenue due to its $70 price point. The game reportedly sold 500,000 copies in the third quarter, and its Complete Edition upgrade has generated over $2 million.
Gears of War E-Day sold just 62k copies on Xbox versus 1.7 million Game Pass players, analyst estimates: "The $70…
Gears of War: E-Day reportedly sold only 62,000 copies on Xbox consoles during its launch week, with an additional 168,000 on PC. Analyst firm Alinea estimates that while 1.7 million players accessed the game via Xbox Game Pass, and over 722,000 paid for a premium upgrade, the $70 premium SKU is struggling on Xbox due to the prevalence of subscription services.
Gears Of War: E-Day–How’s It Selling? Let’s Unpack Things
Gears of War: E-Day has sold approximately 230,000 copies across Steam and Xbox platforms, with a significant portion of players acquiring it through Game Pass. Analysts suggest that while direct sales are soft, the Game Pass model, including premium upgrades, generated substantial revenue, but questions are being raised about Xbox's overall strategy and its ability to drive console sales.
Gears of War: E-Day reportedly courts over 1.7m Xbox Game Pass players and makes over $37m since launch
Gears of War: E-Day has reportedly sold around 230,000 copies across Steam and Xbox consoles/PC, generating over $37 million including Premium Edition upgrades and microtransactions. A significant portion of its player base, over 1.7 million, engaged with the game through Xbox Game Pass, with many opting for the $30 Premium Edition upgrade for early access. The article also touches on player overlap with other titles and discusses the studio's confidence in the game as a foundation for future installments.
EA Sports FC 27 Has Made Over $714 Million, Sold Almost 8 Million Copies – Rumor
A report from Alinea Analytics suggests EA Sports FC 27 has generated over $714 million from nearly 8 million copies sold, surpassing other sports titles like NBA 2K27 and EA Sports College Football 27. The game has seen significant revenue from PlayStation players, with a notable portion of sales occurring during its early access period.
Millions return to The Witcher 3 as the Remastered game records another Steam personal best and sales skyrocket
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has seen a massive surge in player numbers and sales following the release of its remastered edition. The game achieved a new peak of over 137,000 concurrent players on Steam, and sold an additional 130,000 copies across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox in a single day. CD Projekt Red is also preparing to release a new expansion, Songs of the Past, next year.
Wardogs has already made over $100 million on Steam, analyst says, but the new shooter couldn't beat Arc Raiders…
The multiplayer shooter Wardogs has generated over $100 million in revenue on Steam since its early access launch on September 10, selling 3.2 million copies. While it has surpassed expectations and is a significant contributor to Steam's revenue, it did not outperform Arc Raiders or Helldivers 2 in their initial periods.
Steam on track to earn a record $20 billion this year thanks to games like The Witcher 3 Remastered and Wardogs, analyst…
Steam is projected to earn a record $20 billion in revenue this year, according to analyst firm Alinea Analytics. The platform saw a massive September, bringing in $1.6 billion, and is on track to surpass its previous yearly earnings. Major game releases like Wardogs and the remaster of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt have contributed significantly to this success.
Majority Of Gears Of War: E-Day Revenue On Xbox Will Be Cannibalized By Game Pass, Analyst Says
An analyst report suggests that Gears of War: E-Day's inclusion on Xbox Game Pass will significantly cannibalize its revenue potential, despite strong initial sales on Steam. Microsoft's strategy with Game Pass is questioned, with past admissions that it can hurt full-game sales, though some executives maintain it can also boost them. The report also touches on the potential for a PlayStation 5 port and the broader implications of Microsoft's exclusivity and Game Pass strategies.
The Resident Evil Movie Wasn’t The Main Force Behind RE Games’ Recent Sales Boost
Recent sales boosts for Resident Evil games were primarily driven by discounts offered before the release of Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie, rather than the film's box office performance. While the movie saw a modest bump in game sales, pre-release discounts on titles like Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4 on PlayStation 5 had a more significant impact. Analysts suggest that future releases like Resident Evil Veronica could benefit from better transmedia integration.
Resident Evil 2 remake sales nearly double on PS5 after Capcom discount coincides with Zach Cregger's "biggest opening in the 24-year history" of Resident Evil movies, says analyst
Sales for Resident Evil 2 remake have nearly doubled on PlayStation 5 following a discount promotion by Capcom that coincided with the successful launch of Zach Cregger's new Resident Evil movie. Analyst Rhys Elliott noted that the film directly influenced a significant uptick in PS5 sales for Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 4, with a milder effect on Steam.
New Halo Announcement is Coming Soon – Rumor
Rumors suggest Xbox is preparing a significant announcement regarding the Halo franchise soon, with industry insiders hinting at future plans. However, reports also indicate recent title Halo: Campaign Evolved underperformed expectations, and potential layoffs at Halo Studios could be part of the news, creating mixed reactions.
