GfK Entertainment senior client director Dorian Bloch has shared the data on the top-selling physical copies of video games in the UK during the Christmas holidays over the last 38 years. In a nutshell, Electronic Arts and Activision are the two undisputed leaders.
First published on Bloch’s LinkedIn page, the chart was later spotted by GameDiscoverCo founder Simon Carless.
Electronic Arts leads the list with 13 number one games over the last 38 years. The FIFA series topped the chart nine times, with Need For Speed having two number one titles. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Medal of Honor: Rising Sun were the best-selling games at Christmas in 2001 and 2003 respectively.
Activision comes in second with ten best-selling titles. The Call of Duty series topped the chart nine times, while Ghostbusters was the Christmas top-seller in 1984.
What was the top-selling UK (physical) video game at Xmas for every year since… 1984?! @GFK‘s Dorian Bloch crunched the data: https://t.co/R14ek2S3Zx pic.twitter.com/N3ooTs4R3k
— Simon Carless (@simoncarless) December 21, 2021
It is worth noting that only three game companies, besides EA and Activision, managed to top the chart over the last 20 years. Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla was the best-selling Christmas game last year. Take-Two came in first place in 2018 and 2002, thanks to Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA 3. And Bethesda’s TES V: Skyrim topped the chart in 2011.