Hitman 2 and Fallout 76 experience weak physical launch sales

Over the past week, the UK’s physical game sales have been dominated by two titles; the Spyro Reignited Trilogy and Pokemon: Let’s Go, easily surpassing recent releases like Fallout 76 and Hitman 2. 

For context, the Spyro Reignited Trilogy debuted in number one position at UK retailers, even though the physical version of the game requires a full game download, while Pokemon Let Go Pikachu sits on the number 4 spot and Let’s Go Eevee sits at Number six. If the sales of both Let’s Go Pokemon games are combined, they surpass Spyro to take the number 1 position. Red Dead Redemption 2 is the UK’s second best selling game for the week ending on November 17th. 

Another factor to note is that some retailers were not supplied enough copies of Pokemon: Let’s Go to satisfy launch day demand, with some retailers receiving their stock later than expected, hampering Pokemon: Let’s Go’s potential physical sales in the region. 

Fallout 76 debuted at with the number three spot in the UK in terms of physical sales, with physical sales being down 82.4% when compared to Fallout 4, according to gamesindustry.biz. IO Interactive’s Hitman 2 also launched with weak physical sales, taking the number 10 spot in terms of sales. Physical Sales for Hitman 2 are down 90% when compared to 2012’s Hitman Absolution. Hitman (2016) was an episodic release and is therefore not comparable to Hitman 2 when it comes to physical sales.  

At this time the digital sales of both games are unknown, though such a decline in physical sales is not a good sign for either game. Digital sales likely make up a higher proportion of sales when compared to prior series entries, though they are unlikely to have increased enough to cover this shortfall of physical sales. 

In the case of Hitman 2, games like FIFA 19, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Fortnite’s physical “Deep Freeze Bundle” release have all outperformed the game at physical retailers, none of which are new releases. Early Black Friday gaming deals and strong Switch sales in response to Pokemon: Let’s Go’s release is likely responsible for this influx in sales of some older titles.