Astral Chain releases and takes the top of the UK physical chart

It has, by all accounts, been a quiet summer for new game releases. Very few AAA games have hit the charts and the new releases that have appeared have quickly floundered in the wake of older, sustained sellers like Grand Theft Auto V.

All seems to have changed in this week’s UKIE/GfK Top Ten, which lists the highest selling physical games in the UK.

The top four titles in the chart are all new releases. Astral Chain, a new IP from Japanese developer Platinum Games, leads the way. The Nintendo Switch exclusive becomes the first Platinum Games title to reach the top of the charts in the UK. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance went close in 2013, reaching No.2, but Astral Chain, an action adventure game in which players attempt to solve mysteries in a sci-fi world, has gone one step further.

Another brand new IP, THQ Nordic’s Wreckfest, narrowly missed out on top spot and had to settle for second place. Developed by Bugbear interactive, the racing game is considered by many to be a spiritual sequel to the FlatOut series and only sold 1,100 fewer units than Astral Chain.

Incredibly, a mere 1,500 units separated all four games at the top of the charts. Bandai Namco and Supermassive Games’ Man of Medan, the third instalment in the Dark Pictures Anthology, took third place. The game is a story-driven horror in which players must attempt to survive in a nightmarish world.

Control, an action game from Remedy, took forth place in the charts. It is the first Remedy game for a while which will be playable on PS4 – the company were producing Xbox exclusives for a time – and is also available on Xbox One and PC.

The remainder of the top ten has a familiar look to it. Titles like Mario Kart 8: Deluxe and Grand Theft Auto V retain their lengthy chart presence. Nonetheless, the success of the new entries in this week’s chart – especially the new IPs – highlights that gamers haven’t lost their appetite for new games and experiences.

A more extended list of top sellers can be found here.