Starfield Tops UK Retail Sales, Might Be the Biggest Launch of 2023

A series of Starfield live-action shorts are on the way to help you get to grips with the Settled Systems, and we’ve got our first look at the incredible set design already. Helmed by videogame short filmmaker Stephen Ford, the live-action series of shorts will help you learn even more about Bethesda’s newest universe.

Gfk’s top ten for the best-selling physical titles in the UK for the week ending September 23rd is now available. As reported by Games Industry’s Christopher Dring on Twitter, Mortal Kombat 1 debuted on top, while NEOWIZ’s Lies of P took third place. The former saw the most sales on PS5, with Xbox Series X/S in second and Nintendo Switch last.

Mortal Kombat 1 was the biggest new release of last week, and to no one’s surprise, it seems that the game has got off to a strong start where its sales are concerned. As per Gfk data for weekly physical software sales in the UK, shared by GamesIndustry’s Christopher Dring on Twitter, Mortal Kombat 1 debuted on top of the charts. Its physical launch sales are down 38% from what Mortal Kombat 11 managed upon its launch in 2019, but physical sales trending downward is no surprise for any game at this point.

It's no secret that Starfield — out now on PC and Xbox Series S/X — is hands down one of the most monumental game launches of the year. For Bethesda, it's a gamble in uncharted territory as they undertake their first new universe in 25 years, set across the stars in a futuristic civilised corner of the Milky Way galaxy. For publisher Xbox, it's an opportunity to bounce back from a lacklustre 2022 slate and dominate the gaming conversation for a long time — probably years, given the staying power director Todd Howard's RPGs are notorious for. With over a thousand planets to explore, dashing factions to align with, and cosmic mysteries bubbling with political intrigue, Starfield aims to be the most complex spacefaring adventure of our generation. As such, it soars gracefully, but not without some turbulence.

The Gfk has released the latest data for weekly physical software sales in the UK (via GamesIndustry), and the biggest new release of last week, The Crew Motorfest, has seen a decent debut. The open world racer sits in second place, which is the same position The Crew 2 debuted in when it launched in 2018. Its physical launch sales, however, are about a third of the 2018 game, as per GI.biz’s Christopher Dring on Twitter– though it’s worth keeping in mind that its digital share is likely to be much higher. 

PS5 sales in Europe last month have increased almost 200% compared to August 2022.

Starfield has officially hit 10 million players, according to Bethesda.

Today, GamesIndustry.biz has reported GSD (Game Sales Data) showing that Starfield has become the biggest Xbox launch this generation in Europe, beating Forza Horizon 5 in this regard. It is also the fastest-selling game based on a new intellectual property released in 2023 thus far.

The Starfield (pre)launch has significantly boosted Xbox Series X|S sales in the UK, based on Gfk data.

PS5 sales in the UK have jumped 60% year-to-date while sales of both Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch are down compared to last year.

Starfield has enjoyed a strong physical sales debut in the UK, despite its inclusion on day one in Game Pass.

Bethesda Game Studios’ Starfield had over one million concurrent players at launch and over six million players in total, and it seems to have scored big at retail as well. While the full UK physical retail charts from Gfk aren’t available yet, GamesIndustry’s Christopher Dring confirmed that it debuted in first place.