PS5 And Xbox Sales Jump In UK Off The Back Of Netflix’s Grand Theft

The UK saw sales of PS5 and Xbox platforms leap by 33% and 34%, respectively, off the back of Netflix’s Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look, according to data provided by Nielsen HQ.

As previously reported, the Netflix special attracted 31.1 million viewers in just four days, with the PS5 in particular having sold out at many retailers in wake of the GTA VI hype train. It’s come at a good time too, as in the UK hardware sales are down 14.4% compared to the same time last year, primarily due to a decrease in PS5 sales, which are down 32% year-on-year.

Speaking with The Game Business, Ronan Patrick of Newzoo predicted that the release of Grand Theft Auto VI this November may not actually stimulate hardware sales as much as one would think.

The PS5 in inflation-adjusted terms is 67% more expensive [than at launch], and Xbox is twice as expensive. We expect, because of [GTA] and Call of Duty, to see an uptick in the install base, but nothing particularly massive. But perhaps some of the fears are overblown when it comes to software. It’s important to remember that the lion’s share of time is often spent on older titles, and the closest analogy we have to a hardware shock is during the 2020-2021 GPU shortage, and you didn’t see engagement or revenue being taken off course. You basically saw a reallocation of spend into software.

While we’re on the subject of GTA VI, Sony recently announced a special collaboration with Rockstar Games to bring two limited-edition DualSense controllers themed on the upcoming title, which will launch alongside GTA VI Nov. 19.

[Source – Nielsen via The Game Business]

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