Sales of PlayStation and Xbox consoles in the UK jumped by around a third after the extended trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 was recently shown on Netflix. This surge is important for the market because it temporarily reverses the overall downward trend in demand for hardware in the region and causes equipment shortages among retailers.
According to data from analysts at Nielsen headquarters, PlayStation 5 sales grew by 33%, while Xbox Series X and S systems grew by 34%. More than 30 million people watched the new game trailer air on Netflix.
This excitement is particularly evident as overall annual console sales in the UK fell by 14.4%, mainly due to a 32% drop in PS5 demand. However, the situation in the United States is different: due to parts shortages and rising prices, hardware sales data in July were the worst since the epidemic, with the average cost of a PS5 reaching $672.
Experts point out that November game releases themselves will only provide a modest boost to hardware sales due to high inflation and rising console prices. However, analysts believe gamers will simply reallocate their spending to purchasing software.
