36 Million Games and 3.4 Million Consoles Sold in the UK in 2021: UK Annual Report

The UK video game market experienced a year of hardware growth and software contraction in 2021. Data provided by GSD and GfK indicates that 3.36 million consoles were sold, representing a 14% increase over the previous year, driven by the first full year of availability for new-generation PlayStation and Xbox hardware. The Nintendo Switch emerged as the top-selling console, narrowly overtaking the PlayStation 5 in the final weeks of the year. Despite the growth in hardware, accessory sales saw a 6% decline, totaling 10.6 million units, with the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller ranking as the best-selling individual accessory.

Software sales faced a decline, with 35.8 million digital and physical games sold, a 16% decrease compared to 2020. This downturn is largely attributed to the exceptional, lockdown-driven surge in demand during the prior year; when compared to 2019, the software market actually grew by 38%. Digital downloads accounted for the majority of sales, though physical retail maintained a stable market share of approximately 32.4%. New releases accounted for 11.3 million units, or 31.6% of total software sales.

Market performance for specific titles remained varied. FIFA 22 secured the top position in the annual sales charts, showing a 10.3% increase over its predecessor. Conversely, Call of Duty: Vanguard experienced a 36.1% decline in sales compared to the previous year’s entry. Long-standing titles such as Grand Theft Auto 5 continued to demonstrate significant commercial longevity, maintaining a top-three position eight years after its initial release. The analysis covers the 2021 calendar year and utilizes GSD software data alongside GfK hardware and accessory metrics to provide a comprehensive overview of the UK gaming landscape.