Hogwarts Legacy
GameBy Avalanche Software · Released Feb 10, 2023
Documents about Hogwarts Legacy
Unlocking AAA Game Success: Marketing Strategies That Made Hogwarts Legacy and Diablo IV Bestsellers
Effective marketing strategies were a primary driver behind the success of the highest-grossing PC and console games of 2023.
- Hogwarts Legacy achieved 22 million copies sold by the end of 2023 by strategically launching on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC during the first quarter, a period with minimal AAA competition.
- Hogwarts Legacy utilized a three-phase marketing strategy consisting of pre-order campaigns, a primary launch, and subsequent secondary platform releases for PS4 and Nintendo Switch.
- Diablo IV successfully utilized platform-specific creative, employing gameplay footage with trending music for TikTok’s younger demographic while using visually striking live-action creative for YouTube.
Our Industry News (20/05/24 - 02/06/24)
The brief outlines a two-week snapshot of global gaming industry activity, focusing on corporate moves, media adaptations, AI integration, and a comprehensive list of new releases.
- Nintendo acquired Shiver Entertainment from Embracer Group to bolster its internal porting capabilities for high-profile titles like Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1.
- Microsoft is integrating OpenAI-powered Copilot tools into Minecraft and future Xbox titles, signaling a strategic industry shift toward generative AI for player experience enhancement.
- Ubisoft is prioritizing recurring revenue models by launching a new subscription initiative specifically for its live-service title Rainbow Six Siege.
Digital Toys at Play: Top 10 Toy and Entertainment Licensors in Gaming
This analysis explores the evolving landscape of intellectual property (IP) licensing in the gaming industry, focusing on how traditional toy and entertainment companies are transitioning into digital spaces.
- The top 10 non-gaming licensors generated $9.9 billion in consumer spending for the twelve months ending in June 2024.
- Third-party developers drive the vast majority of revenue, accounting for $7.9 billion of the total spending compared to $1.8 billion from in-house efforts.
- Hasbro leads the sector, fueled by the success of Monopoly Go—projected to exceed $3 billion in lifetime revenue—and Baldur’s Gate III.
Indie Titles Like Palworld Dominate New Release Viewership for Q1 2024
The first quarter of 2024 demonstrated a significant shift in live-streaming viewership, as indie titles outperformed established franchises and competitive esports staples.
- Palworld was the top-performing new release of Q1 2024, generating 95.2 million hours watched in its first 30 days, which is 25 million hours more than the Q1 2023 leader, Hogwarts Legacy.
- Action games dominated new release viewership in Q1 2024, accounting for 184 million hours watched or 31.6% of the total hours for all new releases.
- Supermarket Simulator achieved a 194% increase in daily viewership during its first 30 days compared to its first week, reaching 20 million total hours watched and securing the #5 spot for new releases.
State of Free-to-Play Games on Steam
The state of free-to-play (F2P) gaming on Steam is characterized by extreme market concentration and the dominance of long-standing legacy titles.
- The F2P market on Steam is highly concentrated, with the top 10 titles capturing 88% of all engagement and Counter-Strike 2 alone accounting for 25% of total F2P concurrent users.
- New F2P titles struggle to gain traction, as the average age of top-performing games is seven years and only two new releases have entered the top 10 by average CCU since 2021.
- While F2P games accounted for 51% of total Steam playtime in 2023, their dominance is facing pressure from premium titles in early 2024.
Why Older Games Rule - and New Games Drool - in Discoveryland
Analysis of the 2024 PC and console market reveals a significant shift in player behavior, characterized by the overwhelming dominance of older titles over new releases.
- Games six years or older accounted for 61% of total playtime in 2023, a significant increase from 45% in 2021.
- Five established franchises—Fortnite, Roblox, League of Legends, Minecraft, and Grand Theft Auto V—collectively captured 27% of all industry playtime.
- New releases struggle to gain traction, with only 8% of total market playtime available for non-annual titles released within the last two years.
US Games Market Outlook 2024
The United States video game market faces a period of significant uncertainty in 2024, with projections indicating a potential revenue decline of 2% to 10% compared to the previous year.
- The US video game market is projected to decline by 2% to 10% in 2024, potentially dropping from $57.2 billion in 2023 to between $51.5 billion and $56 billion.
- Market uncertainty is at record levels due to a lack of confirmed major releases and the reported delay of the next Nintendo console until 2025.
- The industry faces a difficult year-over-year comparison against 2023, which was bolstered by the success of Hogwarts Legacy and its 22 million units sold.
UK Video Games Market: Annual Report 2023
The 2023 UK video games market demonstrated resilient growth, with total revenue reaching £4.73 billion, a 2.9% increase over the previous year.
- The UK video games market grew 2.9% in 2023 to reach a total revenue of £4.73 billion.
- Digital revenue rose 3.8% to £4.24 billion, while physical sales declined 4.4% to £495 million.
- Hardware spending increased by 10.8% to £934 million, largely driven by the PlayStation 5, which saw unit sales jump 55.2% to 1.2 million.
Which Steam Games Won Revenue Again in 2023?
This analysis examines Steam’s 2023 revenue performance and long-term growth trends for live-service titles.
- Steam's top-tier revenue is dominated by legacy live-service titles, with Platinum status requiring over $100 million in gross revenue and the Bronze tier floor estimated at $20 million to $30 million.
- While 35% of the top 99 grossing games in 2023 were new releases, the market remains heavily reliant on evergreen titles, some dating back to 2007, that prioritize long-term retention over one-time sales.
- Free-to-play and microtransaction-heavy models drive the majority of top-tier revenue, though premium titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Hogwarts Legacy demonstrated that 'buy once' games can still reach the highest rankings.
Plus: The Hogwarts Legacy Express Is Pulling In
Hogwarts Legacy is positioned to be one of the most significant releases of 2023, demonstrating massive pre-launch momentum on Steam.
- Hogwarts Legacy is projected to reach 5 to 10 million units in lifetime sales, supported by a GameDiscoverCo Hype score of 90,000 and over 325,000 Steam followers.
- The Hype score for Hogwarts Legacy is the third-highest recorded in recent years, trailing only Elden Ring and New World.
- The Dead Space remake is currently the top-selling paid title on both PlayStation and Xbox digital storefronts in the United States.
Plus: A Great Steam Start for Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2 has achieved a record-breaking launch for Sony-published titles on Steam, reaching over 81,000 concurrent users (CCU) and securing more than 12,000 positive reviews.
- Helldivers 2 set a record for Sony-published titles on Steam, peaking at over 81,000 concurrent users and garnering more than 12,000 positive reviews.
- Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and Tekken 8 are currently leading the console charts on PlayStation and Xbox, while Hogwarts Legacy maintains its position as the top third-party performer on Nintendo Switch.
- Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is positioned for a strong launch with a pre-release follower base of nearly 30,000 users.
Game Annual Charts: The Most Successful New Games in Germany in 2023
The annual charts published by the German Games Industry Association identify the most successful PC and console game releases of 2023 within the German market.
- EA SPORTS FC 24 was the best-selling PC and console game in Germany for 2023, consistently ranking in the top three monthly charts following its September release.
- Hogwarts Legacy secured the second position in the 2023 annual sales charts for PC and console games.
- Diablo IV, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom rounded out the top five best-selling new releases in Germany for 2023.