Final Fantasy 16 is the first PS5 exclusive to top chart in 2023 – WholesGame

Final Fantasy 16 has made a comfortable debut by securing the top spot in the UK boxed charts. However, the sales for this highly acclaimed franchise are 74% lower than its predecessor, Final Fantasy 15, which was released in 2016. It’s worth noting that Final Fantasy 16 is exclusive to the PS5, while its predecessor was available on both the PS4 and Xbox One. Additionally, the lower install base of the PS5 compared to the PS4 during the time of Final Fantasy 15’s release has contributed to the decline in sales.

However, one significant factor contributing to the drop in sales is the increasing popularity of digital purchases since 2016. Once the digital sales data is accounted for, the decline compared to Final Fantasy 15 is expected to be less severe.

Among the year’s fastest-selling boxed games, Final Fantasy 16 ranks fifth, trailing behind The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Hogwarts Legacy, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and the Resident Evil 4 remake. The Legend of Zelda drops to the second position for the week with a 35% decrease in sales.

Other new games this week include Sonic Origins Plus making its debut at #3. The boxed release of this Sega title performed best on the Switch, accounting for 52% of sales, followed by the PS5 (29%), Xbox Series X and S (11%), and finally the PS4 (9%).

Additionally, Aliens: Dark Descent from Focus Home Interactive enters the charts at #11, and Crash Team Rumble crosses the finish line at #15.

Recent releases all fell from last week, with F1 2023 experiencing a 51% decline in sales, dropping to #5. Street Fighter 6 falls out of the Top Ten to #21 with a 36% decrease in sales week-on-week, and Diablo 4 experiences a 37% sales decline, placing it at #8.

Lastly, Forspoken, another Square Enix PS5 exclusive released this year, climbs to #12 with a 46% increase in sales week-on-week, marking the third consecutive week of sales growth for the game.