The UK games industry – at least in terms of retail sales – is massively down year on year.
Picked up by MCV, sales were down 40% for June compared to the same month last year, with just 2.1 million games flogged on the high street.
In terms of revenue, sales of videogames generated nearly £50m, which is down from nearly £80m twelve months ago. The best selling title in June was Ubisoft’s Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, which actually came out in May.
LEGO Batman 2, which we’ll be reviewing very soon, was the biggest release of the month.
jayjay119
I can’t even remember the last time I bought a game full retail. But that is because I have had such a backlogue of games to get through that it’s been difficult to get them new or just quicker to rent/ get preowned. I’ve still to complete Assassin’s Creed: Revelations, that’s how far behind I am. Coupling the fact that people have less time and less money these days it’s hardly a surprise to see dips.
But has anyone taken the loss at retail into measure with online and digital sales? That would probably explain the drop. Are we classing online as retail here? Because the amount of people I see these days, even on this very site, who have traded in the the high street for the ease and often cheapness of online is probably significant. The last three games I bought [I Am Alive, Alone in the Dark, Prince of Persia, the forgotten sands] have been from Live.
Forrest_01
Jesus – From all the comments on here about people not buying as many games, i believe i may actually be keeping the video games industy afloat, as i have bought lots of games!
Sympozium
I blame Game and basically everything that sells game in Brick and mortar, its been really difficult to find the likes of Yakuza Dead Souls, Armoured Core V and loads of Vita games. I just can’t be bothered ordering online.
Forrest_01
That’s your problem, not GAME’s.
GAME can be blamed for many things, but to only stock titles that actually sell well (Dead Souls & Armoured core would be considered pretty niche) is just good business practice.
They would be out of business in a flash if they kept stock of titles that only a handful of gamers would pick up.
If they could just sort out the odd deal with their pricing, they would be onto a winner.