Australia’s best-selling games for the first quarter of 2023

2023 has seen some massive game releases so far. Each week, the Interactive Games & Entertainment Association (IGEA) publish the ten best-selling games in Australia. We’ve been keeping an eye on the titles that trend high and tried to capture a snapshot of the state of gaming in Australia over 2023’s summer period. Without further ado, here are the ten games that have featured most prominently in the top-selling charts in early 2023.

#10 – Fire Emblem Engage

Despite a contentious narrative, the core tactical gameplay of Fire Emblem Engage has once again proved irresistible for Australian Switch owners. Its visual presentation is some of the best in the series, with animations and character details pushing the console to its limits. It made the best-selling list thanks to an incredibly strong launch month, though sales dropped fairly quickly after its release.

#9 – Resident Evil 4

Continuing Capcom’s tradition of developing incredible remakes of their flagship horror series, Resident Evil 4 gives new life to the action-packed 2005 classic. Refreshed gameplay mechanics and a next-gen visual upgrade make this an enjoyable romp through T-Virus infected terrors. Elliot declared it “a superb and modern take on a classic” in his review.

#8 – Dead Space

Horror fans have been clamouring for a remake of 2008’s atmospheric Dead Space for years and were finally treated to a deliciously next-gen release in January. With a gorgeously remastered visual design and a few modern tweaks, this terrifying title is tense, gripping, and bloody. Charlie had a blast reliving Isaac Clarke’s extra-terrestrial hellscape, which you can read about in her review.

#7 – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

The best-selling Switch exclusive on this list, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe continues from strength to strength, delighting families and destroying friendships. Its DLC Booster Course Pass has given it new life in the past few months. Additions include beloved classic tracks such as Waluigi Pinball, real-world courses featured in Mario Kart Tour, and the occasional (spectacularly designed) original course, as a treat. Recently, trans icon Birdo was added as a playable racer, which is as close to a show of solidarity from Nintendo as we could hope for.

#6 – Red Dead Redemption 2

Memes about horse testicles aside, Rockstar’s 2018 epic Red Dead Redemption 2 has continued to immerse gamers in the most realistic cowboy simulation made to date. Nat reviewed this adventure on release, accurately predicting that it “…will be remembered for years to come as one of the pinnacles of gaming achievements” (at least if sales figures are anything to go by). The popularity of Red Dead Online has likely been a significant factor in this game’s continued presence in the sales charts.

#5 – Grand Theft Auto V

An absolute titan of gaming, Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto V has maintained momentum and steady sales since its initial release almost a decade ago. Granted, it has been re-released on almost as many platforms as Skyrim over that period, but it’s clear that this crime-loving franchise is one of the most iconic in gaming history. Its popularity is further cemented by its endless Online mode, which draws in millions of viewers each week on Twitch. Melissa checked out last year’s next-gen port, and you can read their impressions here.

#4 – NBA 2K23

Cementing our nation’s passion for sport, this year’s entry in the NBA 2K series has continued to appear in the best-selling charts after its release mid-2022. Not only does this title have a mode that lets you recreate 15 iconic moments from basketball great Michael Jordan’s career, it also features music tracks from Aussie artists ChillinIT, BARKAA, and SAHXL. Sport, art, and gaming in one package. You love to see it.

#3 – FIFA 23

Each year we get a new FIFA title, and each year it sits near the top of the weekly sales charts for months on end. While the Switch port of FIFA 23 (subtitled “Legacy Edition”) is notoriously woeful, its bigger siblings on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have continued to impress with what EA is touting as the final game in this particular franchise – quite a culmination of the many, many titles that came before. It remains to be seen if the upcoming “EA Sports FC” will directly follow the FIFA legacy, or forge its own path as a brand new soccer simulator.

#2 – [Wizard Game]

Well, there’s no accounting for taste.

Check out our list of magical games that you could be playing instead.

#1 – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Topping the best-selling list is the latest in Call of Duty’s franchise reboots, which was in part developed by the Sledgehammer Games studio based in Melbourne. Represent! Taylor checked out this title when it launched late last year, describing it as “…the Call of Duty that tries and succeeds to recapture the spark that lit the gargantuan fire that is the Call of Duty franchise we know today” in his review. With a slick campaign and the iconic COD multiplayer experience on offer, it’s little wonder that Aussie gamers are continuing to bask in this modernised take on the classic 2000s FPS.

Data for this list is sourced from the IGEA Top Ten Game Charts. To measure their performance, games were given a score based on their ranking in the chart (#1 and #2 gaining 5 points, #3 and #4 gaining 4 points etc.) A chart showing the top ten for the period over time is shown below.

Source Data

*0 values indicate the game was not in the Top Ten charts for that week.