[UPDATE] Chris Dring has shared updated data on Marvel's Spider-Man 2 sales in the UK. Physical sales were lower than reported due to some double counting, and Hogwarts Legacy is still the biggest PS5 launch of the year. However, digital sales are now in and the journalist says Insomniac's new title is very close to the original Spider-Man and God of War Ragnarok in total launch sales.
[ORIGINAL STORY] The weekly UK physical games chart saw Insomniac's Marvel's Spider-Man 2 easily securing the top spot, according to GI.biz head Chris Dring.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 became the fourth biggest launch of 2023 behind The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, EA Sports FC, and Hogwarts Legacy. However, Dring noted that launch sales are 20% down compared to last year's God of War Ragnarok. Granted, that game launched for PlayStation 4 as well, but the journalist confirmed Sony Santa Monica's game still performed a bit better than Marvel's Spider-Man 2 even when considering just PS5 sales.
Likewise, the game's physical sales in the UK are 'significantly down' compared to the first installment from 2018. However, the importance of digital sales has skyrocketed in the last few years, making it difficult to pass final judgment until that data is available.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 launched last Friday on PlayStation 5. Here's my review (8.5/10), in case you missed it last week:
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 feels like the perfect, albeit safe, evolution of the formula first introduced with the 2018 game. With a highly emotional story, much-improved traversal, great visuals and performance, and industry-leading accessibility, this sequel is very likely to win over most fans of the original. However, a bigger shake-up may be needed for the inevitable Spider-Man 3.
After Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. Wonder secured the second spot on the weekly UK chart. The 2D platform game sold very well, making it the third-biggest launch for the platform series after Super Mario Odyssey and Super Mario 3D All-Stars. Again, though, that's just considering physical sales; with the addition of digital, it's possible Super Mario Bros. Wonder set a new record for total launch sales in the franchise. Still, it was 62% down compared to The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder got a 9.5/10 score in Nathan's review:
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the plumber’s best platformer this generation. We haven’t been able to say that of a 2D Mario for a long time, but this game measures up to the best and most beloved side-scrollers Nintendo has ever made, delivering joyously-creative level design and rock-solid platforming in a gorgeous wrapper. Get ready to kick it old school, because 2D Mario is back on top of the flagpole.
Following Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder, the weekly UK Top 5 was completed by EA Sports FC, Sonic Superstars, and Assassin's Creed Mirage.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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