The monthly retail charts for video game sales in the UK recently released. While God of War and Detroit: Become Human were clear standouts for success, one surprising addition to the lists was Fallout 4. The 2015 roleplaying title’s last DLC released back in 2016, while Fallout 4 VR released back in December of last year. It seems that the recent announcement of Fallout 76 has spurred a dramatic upsurge in sales for the title.
Factors for Fallout 4’s Upwards Trend
Bethesda released the teaser trailer for Fallout 76 on the 30th of May. However, the studio broadcast a 24-hour livestream prior to the trailer’s release. In addition, rumors had been circulating for some time that Bethesda was soon to announce a new Fallout title. All of those aspects combined seemed to have fed a renewed interest in Fallout 4. The retail charts for the month of May have yet to release for the US, so it is presently unknown whether a similar trend has occurred across the pond. However, in the UK, Fallout 4 sold so well that the game managed to reach the #8 bestselling spot for the month of May.
God of War continued its domination of the lists, coming out on top. Detroit: Become Human managed to claim the #5 spot despite releasing just a few days before the end of the month. It’s unclear exactly when Fallout 4’s sales started to climb, so it’s difficult to identify which factor contributed the most. In any case, the upsurge must have been significant. Fallout 4 managed to outsell both Lego Marvel Superheroes 2 and Dark Souls Remastered, which took the #9 and #10 spots, respectively.
In all likelihood, the announcement of Fallout 76 has gotten gamers thinking about the series again. Many may be picking up the game for the first time before Fallout 76 releases, while others may be returning to the game to try out DLC they never bought back in 2016. Whatever the case may be, it is a clear indication that there is a very active and interested fan-base of gamers looking forward to a new Fallout title.