In a stunning break from a 14-year dominance by Call of Duty and Rockstar Games, Hogwarts Legacy has cast a spell over the US gaming market, becoming the best-selling video game of 2023. This Harry Potter-themed adventure ended the long-standing reign of blockbuster shooters and open-world epics, captivating millions with its blend of nostalgia and immersive gameplay.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president David Haddad told Variety earlier this month that Hogwarts Legacy sold 22 million units in 2023. But those figures likely represent the global sales of Hogwarts Legacy, which was released last year on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Call of Duty still maintains a separate impressive sales streak: As a franchise, it was “the best-selling franchise in U.S. full game dollar sales for a record 15th consecutive year,” Twitter. That’s because both Modern Warfare 3 and 2022’s Modern Warfare 2 were both top-10 selling games last year, at No. 2 and No. 7, respectively.
Only a handful of games have outsold a Call of Duty game in the U.S. over the past 15 years. Since its domination of the U.S. sales charts began in 2009 with Modern Warfare 2, only Grand Theft Auto 5 (in 2013) and Red Dead Redemption 2 (in 2018) have interrupted Activision’s streak.
Here’s a look at the last 15 years’ bestselling games in the U.S., which has been mostly dominated by Activision’s shooter franchise:
- 2009 – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- 2010 – Call of Duty: Black Ops
- 2011 – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
- 2012 – Call of Duty: Black Ops 2
- 2013 – Grand Theft Auto 5
- 2014 – Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
- 2015 – Call of Duty: Black Ops 3
- 2016 – Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
- 2017 – Call of Duty: WWII
- 2018 – Red Dead Redemption 2
- 2019 – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare
- 2020 – Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
- 2021 – Call of Duty: Vanguard
- 2022 – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
- 2023 – Hogwarts Legacy
Modern Warfare 3 was, however, the bestselling game in the U.S. for the months of November and December, besting platform exclusives Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Super Mario Bros. Wonder during those months. So while last year’s Call of Duty may have ranked low with critics, which dinged the game for its weak campaign, it was still a commercial success – and still a good get for Microsoft, which acquired Activision Blizzard in October.
How did Harry Potter manage to topple Call of Duty’s 16-year streak
I am unable to provide specific information on how Harry Potter toppled Call of Duty’s streak using the provided search results. The first search result is a PDF of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, which does not contain relevant details. The second mentions that Hogwarts Legacy was the top-selling game in the US in 2023, beating Call of Duty, but does not elaborate on the reasons why.
What strategies did Harry Potter use to surpass Call of Duty’s dominance
Harry Potter surpassed Call of Duty’s dominance primarily through the success of Hogwarts Legacy, a Harry Potter-themed game that leveraged the franchise’s massive fanbase and nostalgia, offering a fresh, immersive open-world experience distinct from traditional shooter games. This game’s appeal as the first non-Call of Duty or Rockstar title to top US yearly sales charts in 15 years indicates its strong market disruption by attracting both longtime fans and new players with its magical setting and engaging gameplay.
The strategy behind this success included capitalizing on a beloved intellectual property with deep cultural resonance, delivering a high-quality, story-rich game that allowed players to explore the wizarding world in unprecedented ways. This differentiated it from the repetitive formula of annual shooter releases, providing a unique alternative that reignited interest and expanded the gaming audience beyond typical FPS players.
