The Last of Us Part 1 Sales Soar 238% After TV Show Launch | UK box chart

Nintendo launches Fire Emblem Engage, a turn-based strategy RPG that has its first new #1 in the UK Box Chart.

The title’s launch sales were 31% lower than its predecessor (Fire Emblem Three Houses in 2019). The new game may have limited its western appeal a bit by adding an anime-style look to its graphics. Still, it’s the UK’s second biggest series launch ahead of cult 3DS hit Fire Emblem Awakening.

That said, FIFA 23 dropped to #2 after a 21% drop in weekly sales, while God of War Ragnarok dropped one spot to #3 with a 26% drop. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe took 4th place with a 3% weekly sales increase, while top 5 ranked Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 fell two places after a 29% sales drop.

The biggest gainer of the week was The Last of Us Part 1, which returned to number 20 on the chart with a 238% surge in weekly sales. The game is bolstered by a new TV series based on the title, available to watch in the UK via Sky Atlantic.

The PS4 version of the game, The Last of Us: Remastered, also re-entered the chart at #32 with a 322% sales surge.

Other big risers include Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. The 2017 game ranks 12th with a 104% increase in revenue this week. This is because the game sold for £11 on stores like Argos and Amazon.

Battlefield 2042 moved back to #25 with a 177% increase in revenue. Again, this is because the title was available from Argos and Amazon for £10. And Callisto Protocol is back on the chart at #16. The horror game, based on the Dead Space series, saw an 83% increase in sales after the price dropped to £30 at select retailers.

Here is the GfK UK Boxed Top Ten for the week ending 21st January 2023.

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