Game Sales
Ongoing coverage on Game Sales.
Latest coverage
Former Nintendo exec explains why the company doesn’t tend to put its games on sale
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime explained Nintendo's philosophy of releasing complete, high-quality games, which leads to their infrequent discounting of titles. While the company generally avoids sales, the article notes that The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild did receive an official discount a few years after launch, though typically Nintendo titles see only modest price reductions.
Saros is Incredible, But Housemarque Has a Lot Riding On It
Despite Saros's critical acclaim and improved accessibility compared to Returnal, concerns remain about its commercial success and Housemarque's future within Sony. The article discusses the sales figures of Returnal and the financial pressures on studios, questioning if Saros's larger scope and development costs will appease executives, especially after recent layoffs and cancellations within PlayStation Studios.
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era Achieves 250,000 Sales in Less Than 24 Hours - GameHaunt
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has achieved remarkable success in its early access launch, selling 250,000 copies within approximately 16 hours on Steam and the Microsoft Store. The game, priced at $39.99, has garnered a 91% "Very Positive" rating on Steam and is also available on PC Game Pass. This strong performance marks a significant return for the classic turn-based strategy franchise after a decade-long hiatus.
Windrose Sales Surpasses 1.5 Million Units Worldwide
Kraken Express and PocketPair announced that their pirate-themed PvE MMO survival game, Windrose, has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide within two weeks of its April 14 release. The developers released an accolades trailer thanking the community and highlighting positive Steam reviews, celebrating this significant sales milestone.
Xbox games are making bank on PlayStation
Xbox games generated $667 million in gross revenue by being ported to PlayStation 5, according to a report by Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics. While some titles like Forza Horizon 5 and Sea of Thieves performed exceptionally well, others like Starfield and Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition also met sales thresholds. Sony, conversely, is not planning to port more PlayStation 5 games to PC, focusing on single-player exclusives for its console while live-service games will be multiplatform.
Xbox Games On PlayStation Have Made A Staggering Amount Of Money, Report Says
A report from Alinea Analytics indicates that Xbox games released on PlayStation 5 have generated over $650 million in gross revenue. Forza Horizon 5 led sales with over 5.8 million copies, followed by Sea of Thieves and Oblivion Remastered. This data suggests a significant market for Xbox titles on Sony's platform, despite ongoing discussions about the company's multiplatform strategy.
Why Xbox took Call of Duty out of Game Pass
Xbox has announced that Call of Duty titles will now be added to Game Pass Ultimate approximately one year after launch, rather than at launch. Data from Newzoo suggests that while Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 saw a temporary increase in Xbox engagement, it did not translate to sustained sales, indicating that Game Pass may be cannibalizing premium purchases.
Games Inbox: Is Call Of Duty still popular?
Readers discuss the declining popularity of the Call of Duty franchise, questioning if the upcoming Black Ops 7 will improve sales after recent titles have underperformed. The discussion also touches on the effectiveness of Activision's efforts to prevent leaks and the broader identity crisis at Xbox, contrasting its past successes with its current strategy of releasing games on PC.
Analysts say PC gaming is now the one platform where more than 50% of revenue comes from games outside the top 20
PC gaming revenue is increasingly driven by titles outside the top 20, with these games accounting for 56% of revenue in Western markets in 2025, a significant increase from previous years. Playtime for these less popular titles also grew substantially, while playtime for top-tier games remained flat or declined, indicating a shift in player engagement towards a broader range of games on the platform.
If these leaked GTA Online sales figures are legit, you can see why Rockstar are holding off GTA 6's PC release
Leaked sales data allegedly shows Grand Theft Auto Online generates significantly more revenue from console players, particularly on PlayStation platforms, compared to PC. This information, purportedly stolen from Rockstar Games, may explain the delayed PC release for Grand Theft Auto VI. The data also indicates a substantial weekly revenue for GTA Online, with PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 players contributing the largest shares.
Crimson Desert Surpasses 5 Million Copies Sold Worldwide
Pearl Abyss announced that its open-world action-adventure game, Crimson Desert, has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. The game, praised for its visuals and combat, is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, PC, and Mac. Pearl Abyss also previewed upcoming updates based on player feedback.
Engagement Ring
Despite the release of the Terran Armada expansion, Starfield's player engagement and overall fortunes have not seen a significant turnaround. The article discusses the continued struggles of the game to regain momentum in the market.
Call of Duty Could Be Removed From Game Pass This Year – Rumor
A rumor suggests that Microsoft may remove the Call of Duty franchise from its Game Pass subscription service later this year. This comes despite the franchise's significant revenue generation for Xbox, including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. The decision could be influenced by the performance of recent titles and the overall strategy for the franchise's future.
It Takes Two Hits 30M Sales as Hazelight Studios Rewrites Co-op Gaming’s Story
Hazelight Studios announced that their cooperative title It Takes Two has surpassed 30 million sales, while their newer game Split Fiction has sold 7 million copies. These milestones highlight the commercial viability and cultural impact of story-driven cooperative gaming experiences, challenging industry norms that often favor solo or competitive play.
Crimson Desert is still the best-selling new game on Steam after 2 weeks, and its user reviews have jumped to 85% positive as more players get past the weak opening
Crimson Desert has become the best-selling new game on Steam two weeks after its release, with user reviews improving to 85% positive. Developer Pearl Abyss has addressed player feedback regarding controls and mount permanence through updates, contributing to the game's resurgence in popularity and sales.
Black Ops 7 may earn about $30,000 for each negative review
This article discusses the potential revenue generated from negative reviews for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, suggesting that each negative review could earn approximately $30,000. It highlights how data can be used in the gaming industry for sales and marketing purposes.
MindsEye Sales "Doubling Almost Weekly", CEO Claims
Build a Rocket Boy CEO Mark Gerhard claims that sales for the game MindsEye are doubling weekly and that the game is now receiving positive reviews, despite a historically poor launch and mixed reception on Steam. Gerhard alleges that negative reception was orchestrated and that authorities are assisting with an investigation into the matter.
Crimson Desert’s Turnaround Led To A “Whoopsie Moment” for Investors as Share Prices Surge
Crimson Desert has seen a significant surge in its stock price for developer Pearl Abyss, following initial poor reception and subsequent fixes. The game has achieved 3 million copies sold, leading to a notable increase in investor confidence, a phenomenon Dr. Serkan Toto notes is common in Asian markets.
Triple-A Game Budgets Now Over $300 Million, It’s Claimed
Game development budgets for AAA titles are reportedly exceeding $300 million, not including marketing costs, according to journalist Jason Schreier. This necessitates millions of sales just to break even, placing immense pressure on game sales figures. Games like Concord and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 are cited as examples of high-budget titles.
Marathon’s Player Count CCU estimates revealed – and its nowhere near as dead as you think
Despite initial concerns, Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon has maintained a stable player base since its early March launch, according to data analytics firm Alinea Analytics. While not a massive breakout hit, the game retains a dedicated hardcore PvP audience, with average daily active users holding steady and significant player engagement beyond 50 and 100 hours on PC. Console player engagement on PlayStation 5 and Xbox is also respectable, though lower than PC.
