The chart of top-selling games at Christmas since 2017
Part of the reason why Christmas is so magical is that everything is new and exciting. We get swept up in the mystery of Christmas, the sights, the sounds, the smells and the atmosphere. It's also a time when every Christmas list features an anticipated video game that everybody wants to own and play, courtesy of Santa. Whilst 2022 is yet to officially confirm which game is the top-selling at Christmas time, there are certainly a few favourites that might take the number one spot such as CoD: Modern Warfare II, Fifa 23, Elden Ring and God of War: Ragnarök. But let's go back in the past, and take a look at which titles were the highest selling at Christmas for the past five years and dissect each title to why that might be.
2017 - Call of Duty: WWII
Credit: Sledgehammer/Activision
As expected, it seems no list can go without featuring a Call of Duty title, and when Call of Duty WWII was released back in November 2017, fans were excited. It was nearly 9 years since Call of Duty had released a game that took place in the infamous setting. It was sort of the marmite of Call of Duty that divided fans more than previous titles had, with the likes of older fans welcoming back the boots-on-the-ground combat, whilst the newer generation had just gotten used to the Halo style of combat. A lot of gamers felt CoD WWII didn't get enough love from its developers and felt rushed more than refined. The multiplayer maps were all very similar in size and design, which made them repetitive and boring. Changes were also made to the classic Zombies mode which also was not well favoured and resulted in the game mode barely touched, even by the die-hard Zombies players. But despite the lack of positivity towards the game, if we go back even further, this was the fourth consecutive time CoD had taken the top spot. From 2014-2017, a CoD game topped the Christmas list of video games and with each release usually taking place in November annually, it's no wonder a lot of its sales are around the Christmas period.
2018 - Red Dead Redemption 2
Credit: Rockstar Games
I just want to take a minute, and whilst it's probably biased, to say that this game in my opinion is nothing but phenomenal! I was taken by surprise at just how well-written and well-designed this game is. Red Dead Redemption 2, released in October 2018 and is, at its heart, a game about characters. Its greatest strength is the very real world it presents to the player, each character is dynamic in their way, holding a story that influences their actions. And whilst the Wild West might not be everyone's theme of choice, it provides you with an immersive world with plenty of settings that any gamer can get lost in so easily due to its beautiful yet rugged aesthetic. It was the first time since 2002 that Rockstar had topped the chart for the best-selling game at Christmas, previously with Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. That in itself is an accomplishment for the game, beating the likes of its titles such as Grand Theft Auto V.
2019 - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
Credit: Activision
With every Call of Duty game that releases, there always seems to be one title in particular over the years that seems to further revolutionise the genre. Whilst this title was a nod to the previous Modern Warfare game from 2007, which is also stated as "THE" game that changed FPS genres forever, In 2019, when Call of Duty Modern Warfare first came out, this is exactly what happened, again! The visual fidelity, gameplay mechanics, story, and everything about the game were so near-perfect that fans expected more from Activision in terms of the releases that came after it. So it comes as no surprise that this game topped the charts and after the failure of Black Ops 4, it was a redemption story for Activision who had received a lot of criticism for previous titles. It also brought us Warzone, which has become one of the most popular multiplayer game modes in history!
2020 - Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Credit: Ubisoft
To see an Assassin's Creed game feature on this chart makes me very happy and whilst Valhalla may not be my favourite game of the series, it was certainly an enjoyable one for me. The first thing I think about is Valhalla's aesthetic and graphics. Graphically, Valhalla is second to none. Of course, visuals alone do not make a game a great one. But for a period game that thrives on its atmosphere and engrossing players, a detailed aesthetic is essential, and that's one of the things the game does so well. When you consider that Brotherhood and Black are arguably better games in the series, it's certainly interesting to see Valhalla be the only time an Assassin's Creed game appears on the list. But when you take into account the theme that Ubisoft decided for this game, there aren't many games out there venture into the Viking timeline. 2020 also saw the likes of television series such as The Last Kingdom and Vikings become increasingly popular on Netflix and Amazon Prime so it could be that the market was already perfectly in place, or whether by coincidence alone, made this game everyone's choice for 2020.
2021 - FIFA 22
Credit: EA
Of course, where would the gaming world be without FIFA? Probably a lot more peaceful, with parents' bank statements free of FIFA points and fewer controllers in pieces. I've spoken about FIFA before in a previous blog post, and whilst it is a game that I play personally, and have succumbed to its devilish Ultimate Team mode, it's no surprise that a FIFA game is always on everyone's Christmas list. Football is the World's most popular sport without a doubt, and the idea of being able to play a football simulation game is indeed most sports fans' dream. Whilst the game has its flaws, it is the perfect game to enjoy without friends if you want to delve into its career mode for a simulation of taking charge of a football club as its manager or to create your pro and become the sports all-time great! 2021 was also considered one of the worst years in terms of games released, so that might just be why FIFA topped the chart in that year!
So there's your list of the best-selling games around Christmas time since 2017. Let us know below what you think will be this year's best-selling game for 2022 and why!
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