Whenever we talk about the best video games, we always bring up Call of Duty or something cool from Rockstar Games. They’ve been in charge for a very long time. But what do you know? Somebody changed the rules of video games in 2023, and it wasn’t a group of soldiers or smart crooks. Not really. It was witches and wizards having a great time at Hogwarts Legacy!
The Crown Goes to Hogwarts Legacy
Prepare to be snatched away by Hogwarts Legacy, which quickly became the most popular game of 2023. You heard that right—those kids in clothes with magic wands beat the big players. Imagine that a group of kids who can cast spells are better than the famous Task Force 141 from Call of Duty. It’s kind of like a magical story twist in video games.
In spite of the odds, a magical feat
The fact that Hogwarts Legacy wasn’t the clear choice from the beginning makes this even more interesting. When it came out in February, reviews were pretty average. Also, there was trouble with J.K. Rowling, the author of Harry Potter. But what do you know? That didn’t stop the magic. In 2023, Hogwarts Legacy waved its wand and sold more than 22 million books. Not even Quidditch can compare to that!
The Typical Suspects Sit Down
Is it Call of Duty or Rockstar Games? That was the question for more than 15 years. But 2023 chose to do something different. Second place went to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, then Madden NFL 24, and finally Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (PS5 only). It’s like Hogwarts cast a spell on the SLOTJARWO gaming throne, making the regular suspects give way.
Platform Magic: On Top of Hogwarts
The real surprise is that Hogwarts Legacy not only won the fight as a whole, but it also dominated on certain platforms. It was the best game on PlayStation, came in second on Xbox, and came in fifth on Nintendo. One game device at a time, wizards and witches are taking over the world of games!
Before this, we were rocking out to Rock Band
It’s time to remember the last time a game that wasn’t Call of Duty or a Rockstar game topped the charts. It was the time of Rock Band. It seems like every once in a while, someone changes the lead in video games.
A Not-Great Year for Games
The Cicana data shows that 2023 was a pretty slow year for the gaming business while Hogwarts Legacy was out. A little less than $57.2 billion was spent in the gaming world, which is only 1% more than in 2022. The sales of tools didn’t change much; they stayed at $6.6 billion. Game sales went from $47.5 billion to almost $48 billion, up a little. This includes both new and used games. On the other hand, accessories showed some spirit with a 4% year-over-year rise.
It was a big year for video games with wizards and witches, and Hogwarts Legacy’s magic made it stand out from other games.
