GTA V on top of combined physical and digital games chart

Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V, initially released in September 2013, has returned to the top of the weekly EMEAA combined physical and digital sales charts. The game has rarely been outside the top ten of any sales chart over its six-year lifespan, boosted by the lively ongoing community of Grand Theft Auto Online.

The game performed particularly well in the digital charts. It was top for both units sold and total revenue gained (which takes into account the price games sell for as well as their unit shipments).

In the physical retail charts GTA V was outperformed by a couple of newer releases. Activision Blizzard’s Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled sold the most units, but Nintendo’s Super Mario Maker 2, which has a higher RRP, raked in the most revenue.

Somewhat startlingly, Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fuelled and Super Mario Maker 2 are the only titles in the top ten that were released this summer. GTA V is not the only game to benefit from a lack of exciting new titles. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and The Crew 2 all re-entered the top ten as gaming’s quiet summer continues.

A number of the above games, like GTA V, benefit from online multiplayer communities which help keep the games “current”. Indeed, the sales spike in GTA V has been linked to the July release of the Diamond Casino online update, which provided gamers with new activities and challenges to participate in on Grand Theft Auto Online.

Perhaps the only negative news for Rockstar is that GTA V continues to outperform Red Dead Redemption 2 (#4 in this week’s combined charts). Red Dead Redemption 2, which hit the shelves last fall, has by no means had an unsuccessful release, but Rockstar will be keen for GTA Online players to move across to Red Dead Redemption Online so that the newer title can replicate GTA V’s exceptional longevity.

Whether GTA V’s chart achievements will ever be matched remains to be seen. Interest in the game does not appear to be waning, as evidenced by this week’s combined Europe, the Middle East and Africa charts.

Below are the top ten best-selling games by the number of units sold (combined digital and physical) in EMEAA, week ending on August 18, 2019:

1. Grand Theft Auto V
2. Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled
3. Super Mario Maker 2
4. Red Dead Redemption 2
5. The Crew 2
6. Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
7. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
8. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
9. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
10. Call of Duty: Black Ops 4