1. Introduction: Breaking Tradition in the Heart of London
There is an unwritten rule in the video game industry: "December belongs to Call of Duty and FIFA (now FC)."
For decades, in the weeks leading up to Christmas, the UK sales charts—widely regarded as the trendsetter for the European market—have been dominated by high-octane shooters and football simulators. Gamers, the logic went, wanted quick, multiplayer experiences during the holidays.
But this morning's report from GfK (Growth from Knowledge) proved that 2025 is the year clichés die. For the first time in modern gaming history, a single-player, narrative-focused, Turn-Based RPG has managed to become the best-selling game during the busiest shopping month of the year.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 didn't just hold the top spot; it widened the gap against its competitors, signaling a seismic shift in consumer behavior.
2. The Official GfK Top 10 (UK Boxed Charts)
Before we analyze the trends, let's look at the raw data. (Note: These figures represent physical boxed sales, though digital data is expected to mirror this trend).
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2nd Week at No.1 🔼)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (No Change ➖)
- EA Sports FC 26 (Down 🔽)
- Marvel’s Cosmic Invasion (New Entry 🆕)
- Super Mario Wonder 2 (Stable ➖)
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition (Re-entry 🔼)
- Grand Theft Auto V (The Immortal ➖)
- Elden Ring: Nightreign Edition (Up 🔼)
- Hogwarts Legacy 2 (Down 🔽)
- Just Dance 2026 (Seasonal Entry 🆕)
3. The Clair Obscur Phenomenon: Art Over Service
3.1. Why a Turn-Based RPG Conquered December
When French studio Sandfall Interactive first revealed Clair Obscur, the industry skepticism was palpable: "The graphics are stunning, Unreal Engine 5 is great, but turn-based combat? That genre is dead in the West."
Today, the market provided a definitive answer. The success of this game highlights a massive, under-served appetite for innovation. The combat system, a brilliant hybrid of traditional strategy and real-time reactive QTEs (Quick Time Events), managed to attract even those who typically despise JRPGs.
Crucially, the game's physical sales dropped only 10% week-on-week. For a AAA title, a 60-80% drop in the second week is standard. A 10% hold means incredible word-of-mouth is driving sales faster than marketing ever could.
3.2. The "TGA Effect"
It is undeniable that winning "Game of the Year" at The Game Awards last week acted as rocket fuel for Clair Obscur. Many casual gamers who had never heard of the title saw the ceremony and rushed to stores over the weekend. The Collector's Edition is already scalping on eBay for triple its retail price, indicating fever-pitch demand.
4. The Fallen Empire: Why Call of Duty Settled for Silver
Seeing Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 sitting at number two in December is a blaring alarm bell for Activision.
4.1. Franchise Fatigue
While the Black Ops 6 campaign was well-received, the multiplayer component has faced significant backlash. Repetitive map design and an influx of immersion-breaking cosmetics (like anime skins in a gritty Cold War setting) have alienated a portion of the core fanbase. The "live-service grind" is finally wearing players down.
4.2. The SBMM Exodus
The hottest topic on Reddit this past week has been the game's aggressive Skill-Based Matchmaking (SBMM).
The sentiment is clear: "We want to relax after work, not feel like we're competing in the Call of Duty League finals every single match."
It appears a significant segment of the CoD demographic has migrated toward high-quality PvE experiences—like Clair Obscur or the expansion for Elden Ring—seeking a less stressful, more rewarding gaming loop.
5. The Butterfly Effect: The Witcher 3's Return
The other massive surprise on the chart is The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt sitting comfortably at number six. Why is a game from 2015 suddenly a bestseller again?
5.1. The Impact of the Leak
As we reported yesterday here on Tekin Plus, the voice actress for "Ciri" accidentally leaked the Holiday 2026 release window for The Witcher 4. This news acted as a catalyst.
The natural reaction for thousands of gamers was: "Oh, Witcher 4 is coming? I never actually finished the DLC for Witcher 3!" or "I miss Geralt; let me re-install that."
This phenomenon, known as "Hype Backlog," drove physical and digital sales of The Witcher 3 up by a staggering 300% in the UK over the last 24 hours.
5.2. The Pricing Sweet Spot
Of course, CD Projekt RED's aggressive 10th Anniversary pricing helped. The Complete Edition, offering hundreds of hours of content, is currently selling for under £15. In an era of $70 games, this is viewed as phenomenal value.
6. Hardware Situation: PS5 Pro Still Elusive
On the hardware front, the PlayStation 5 Pro remains the most sought-after console, but "out of stock" signs are ubiquitous.
Reports indicate that Sony has failed to meet the high demand in the UK market for the holiday season, leading to a resurgence of scalpers.
Conversely, the Xbox Series X, bolstered by aggressive Christmas discounts, has managed to claw back some market share, though it still trails significantly behind PlayStation in Europe.
7. Conclusion: A Message for 2026
This week's UK sales chart sends a clear, undeniable message to the gaming industry:
Quality, complete, single-player experiences are still King.
Gamers are exhausted by half-baked live-service titles designed to siphon money through Battle Passes. The triumph of Clair Obscur and the resurgence of The Witcher 3 prove that if you build a beautiful, artistic, complete world without predatory monetization, you can dethrone even the biggest Goliaths like Call of Duty.
It remains to be seen if this trend will hold through the end of 2025, but for now, the turn-based revolution is here.
What about you? Have you also grown tired of online shooters and sought refuge in narrative-driven games? Let us know in the comments.