Strong release slate can't avoid sales dip in October | US Monthly Charts
October snapped a five-month streak of year-over-year growth in US consumer spending on games, according to the latest report from Circana.
US consumers spent $4.04 billion on gaming for the month, down 5% year-over-year, the first decline for the industry since another 5% dip in April.
A significant chunk of the decline was driven by shifting release dates for the Call of Duty series. Last year's October numbers benefitted from the launch of the best-selling Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, while this year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was released in the November reporting period.
This year's October still boasted a strong crop of new releases, with six games debuting in the Top Ten software charts.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 claimed the top spot, relegating Super Mario Bros. Wonder to second place, although their figures aren't quite an apples-to-apples comparison as Circana does not report digital sales of Nintendo first-party titles.
As for other big new releases, Assassin's Creed: Mirage managed third place, while UFC 5, NHL 24, and Sonic Superstars took the seventh, eighth, and ninth spots, respectively.
By Circana's numbers, Spider-Man 2 is already the fourth best-selling game of the year, behind only Hogwarts Legacy, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Madden NFL 24 in that order.
One new release not included on the chart is the PlayStation version of free-to-play platform Roblox, which Circana said ranked fourth among all PS5 titles for monthly active users, behind Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Fortnite and Spider-Man 2.
On the mobile front, Circana partner Sensor Tower found consumer spending up 2.1% year-over-year, with Monopoly Go retaining its position as the highest grossing title.
Sens
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