Stellar Blade surpasses older Fallout titles to claim top spot on the charts | Circana April 2024

Stellar Blade, the action title from Shift Up, has taken the gaming world by storm by claiming the number one spot on the U.S. bestsellers list for April. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as it was the only new release from April to make it onto the list, beating out older games that saw a resurgence in popularity.

According to Circana, the industry-tracking firm, total U.S. spending on video game hardware, content, and accessories fell by 3% in April 2024 compared to the previous year. While there was a 2% increase in content spending, this could not offset the significant drops in hardware and accessories sales.

Mobile spending seems to be a bright spot in the industry, with consoles experiencing a decline in sales numbers. All current console hardware platforms saw a minimum of a 26% year-on-year decrease, with the Nintendo Switch showing the strongest decline at 69%.

Despite the overall decline in hardware sales, game content spending has seen an 8% increase year-to-date from 2023. Accessories sales are also up by 18% year-to-date, with the PlayStation Portal being the best-selling accessory for both April and 2024.

Older games like Fallout 4, Fallout 76, Grounded, and Sea of Thieves also saw a resurgence in April, climbing up the bestsellers list. This unexpected trend could be attributed to various factors, including the release of new content and initiatives by game publishers to boost sales.

Overall, the gaming industry is experiencing a mix of challenges and opportunities, with new releases like Stellar Blade making waves alongside the continued popularity of older titles.