Immediately following the release of an in-depth video for Rockstar Games' upcoming title Grand Theft Auto VI (hereinafter "GTA 6") on Netflix, weekly sales of the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in the UK both surged by over 30%.
| 📒 | - UK PS5 weekly sales up 33% - Xbox Series X|S also increases 34% - Netflix video reaches 31.1 million views |
According to a report on September 3 by The Game Business citing data from market research firm NielsenIQ, UK PS5 sales during the period increased 33% compared to the previous week. Xbox Series X|S sales also rose by 34% over the same timeframe.
The Game Business interpreted the massive interest in the 'GTA 6' video as having influenced console demand. However, the figures compiled by NielsenIQ primarily show that the timing of the video release coincided with the sales bump, without providing analysis on how other variables such as pricing or stock availability affected sales volume.
Viewership figures released by Netflix also support this high level of interest. The 27-minute "Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look," released on August 27, accumulated 31.1 million views through August 30. During that period, it ranked No. 1 in Netflix's English-language film category and topped the charts in 87 of the 93 tracked countries. The video was produced using gameplay captured on PS5.
Signs of tightening console stock were also observed. The Game Business reported that upon checking Sony's official UK online store and third-party retailers at the time of writing, certain PS5 models were sold out or had limited stock available. This retail condition was verified directly by the outlet independently of the NielsenIQ sales data.
This weekly spike stands in contrast to the broader annual trend in the UK console market. According to The Game Business, UK console hardware sales through late July were down 14.4% compared to the same period last year. While PS5 sales fell 32%, Xbox Series X|S sales grew by 3.1%.
Ronan Patrick of market research firm Newzoo projected that 'GTA 6' and 'Call of Duty' could help expand the console player base, but noted that higher hardware prices might keep the growth from reaching market expectations.
'GTA 6' is scheduled to release on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19.
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