EA FC 24, formerly known as Fifa, was the top-selling video game in the UK last year, according to new data from the Digital Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA). Despite dropping the Fifa name after nearly three decades, EA FC 24 sold 2.25 million copies in the UK in 2023, just slightly below the sales of Fifa 23 in 2022. The game received a generally favorable response from critics, with an average score of 73 out of 100 on Metacritic. However, it has a low user score of 2.3 out of 10, which some attribute to a review-bombing campaign. Experts believe that Fifa’s success is due in part to its licensing deals, which allow it to use players’ faces and accurate replica kits. EA FC 24 retained these features, making it the only game that offers players the opportunity to play as their favorite footballers.
In other gaming news, ERA reported that Hogwarts Legacy was the second-best selling game in the UK, followed by Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Spider-Man 2, a PlayStation 5 exclusive, ranked sixth, while Star Wars Jedi: Survivor came in seventh. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom secured ninth place, despite Nintendo not disclosing digital sales data. Diablo 4 rounded out the top ten.
ERA also revealed that gaming sales in the UK increased by 2.9% in 2023, with digital purchases accounting for approximately 90% of revenue. Physical game sales, however, declined by 4.4%, generating £495.0 million out of the total £4.7 billion. ERA CEO Kim Bayley stated that gaming continued to connect with people and that the industry remains a significant force despite the modest growth.
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