‘FIFA’ claims the UK video game Christmas No.1 spot for the tenth time

FIFA 23 has topped the 2022 Christmas UK retail charts, marking the series’ tenth year as the UK’s best-selling during the festive season.

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That’s according to the latest GfK data, as published by GamesIndustry.biz. According to the data, FIFA 23 saw a 67 per cent increase in sales over last week, securing its number one spot, with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 coming in second place.

FIFA has almost certainly enjoyed a boost in interest due to the World Cup, although the franchise has claimed the number one spot on the Christmas UK retail charts ten times now, and so likely would have done so this year anyway.

As GamesIndustry.biz notes, it’s a rare occasion that any game can usurp FIFA around the Christmas season. That’s with the notable exception of Call of Duty, which has claimed the number one spot nine times, most recently with 2019’s Modern Warfare.

Other franchises have muscled their way to the top in recent years, however. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was the best-selling game in 2020, while Red Dead Redemption 2 took the top spot in 2018, following four straight years of Call of Duty at the top.

This week’s chart also saw God of War Ragnarok slip from the top spot to third place following a 23 per cent decline in sales. Meanwhile, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion released in eighth place.

Nintendo is also faring well in the UK sales charts, and has dominated the top ten this week. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is in fourth place, followed by Pokémon Violet in fifth, Nintendo Switch Sports in sixth, Pokémon Scarlet in seventh and Minecraft: Switch Edition in ninth.

Finally, coming in eleventh place, is Ubisoft’s Just Dance 2023.

In other gaming news, EA has accurately predicted the World Cup winner for the fourth time, after it correctly forecast Argentina’s win against France in yesterday’s final (December 18).