Highest Selling Games of 2023: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Is Not Even in the Top 3
As 2023 draws to a close, the video game industry is reflecting on a monumental year marked by major releases and significant layoffs. Research firm Circana has tracked the top-selling games so far, with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 surprisingly missing the coveted top 3.
What Were 2023’s Best-Selling Games?
According to Circana, claiming the #1 spot is Hogwarts Legacy, managing to post huge sales numbers despite controversy around author J.K. Rowling. While Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III will likely overtake it as 2023 wraps up, Hogwarts Legacy currently wears the crown.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ranks at #2 with over 19.5 million units sold globally. And snagging the #3 position is perennial top-seller Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, catapulting up the chart after its November release.
Given the massive popularity of Marvel’s web-slinging icon Spider-Man, many expected his latest video game outing to dominate 2023 sales. However, Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 landed at #4 after launching in October.
Where Did Spider-Man Land in 2023 Sales?
Given the wild success of Marvel’s Spider-Man in 2018 and the hype surrounding its sequel, many expected the PS5 exclusive to dominate 2023 game sales. While its #4 chart position is objectively strong, fans hoped Spider-Man 2 would claim the coveted sales crown.
Does Spider-Man’s lower-than-expected debut constitute a failure? Not necessarily. As a platform exclusive released in a competitive holiday window, Marvel’s web crawler faced stiff competition from multi-platform heavy hitters. Still, Spider-Man will swing into 2024, facing higher expectations for franchise growth.
While still an impressive debut, Spider-Man’s sales failed to swing him into the coveted top 3. Diablo IV and even 2022’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II rounded out positions #6 and #7, beating the world’s most iconic superhero.
Also Read: Fans Demand for Wolverine’s Trailer to be Released Early as Leakers Demand $2 Million from Insomniac
What Other Major 2023 Releases Made the Top 10?
Aside from the top 3 chart-toppers, plenty of other highly anticipated releases managed to crack the top 10 highest-selling video games. EA’s Madden NFL 24 came in at #5, while Star Wars Jedi: Survivor took #8 on the back of the strong reception.
Mortal Kombat 11 and Bethesda’s ambitious RPG Starfield closed out the top 10. Starfield notably launched day one on Xbox Game Pass, making its top 10 entry even more impressive.
Despite industry-wide layoffs and a shaky economy, 2023’s biggest game releases brought some much-needed sales highs. While Spider-Man may have claimed only 4th place, breakout hits like Hogwarts Legacy and Zelda brought fans immense joy during turbulent times.
And with publishers gearing up for a massive 2024, the video game industry heads into the new year fueled by this year’s successes while learning from shortcomings. Neither fans nor developers have seen the last of gaming’s favorite superhero either, as Spider-Man looks to rebound and shoot higher in 2024’s sales web.
