The Undisputed King: ‘Mario Kart World’ Reclaims Pole Position on UK Physical Charts

The latest data from the UK physical game sales charts confirms once again the phenomenal, enduring appeal of Nintendo’s flagship racer, as Mario Kart World (for the Nintendo Switch 2) has powered its way back to the coveted number one spot. The perpetual high-performer, which has consistently placed at or near the top since its June release, dethrones last week’s champion, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, pushing the stealth-action remake down to third place. This return to the summit underscores a powerful trend of evergreen Nintendo titles dominating physical sales, even in the face of significant new releases.

The consistency of Mario Kart World demonstrates its status as a must-have title for the new Nintendo console, driving significant hardware sales and proving the immense financial value of first-party IPs. Its sales momentum is a masterclass in maintaining consumer interest over time, a stark contrast to the front-loaded launch spikes typical of many AAA releases.

New Entries Face Steep Competition: NBA 2K26 and Everybody’s Golf Miss the Top 10

The week’s chart movements provided surprising news for two major new releases, with NBA 2K26 and Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots both failing to crack the top ten. Despite the high-profile September launch window and massive marketing campaigns associated with these franchises, their initial physical performance was notably muted:

• NBA 2K26, the newest installment in the globally popular basketball simulation series, debuted at a modest number 14. The perennial best-seller’s lower-than-anticipated physical chart entry suggests a seismic shift towards digital purchases, a trend particularly pronounced in the sports genre which thrives on immediate access and year-round digital updates. The high-value Virtual Currency (VC) bundles and various premium editions, which often incentivize digital storefront purchases, likely cannibalized physical sales.
• Everybody’s Golf Hot Shots, the long-awaited return of the beloved arcade-style golf franchise, charted just behind its competitor at number 15. While the game holds a strong niche appeal, the crowded release schedule and the dominance of multi-platform behemoths made a Top 10 breakthrough challenging for a title focusing on a smaller, dedicated fanbase.

This dynamic highlights an increasing disparity in chart performance metrics. Low physical chart placements for major sports titles do not necessarily equate to poor overall revenue, as digital distribution now accounts for the majority of sales, often including lucrative in-game purchases and season passes that generate massive recurring revenue.

Chart Surprises and Continued Longevity

While the top spot and the sports debuts captured the headlines, the rest of the Top 20 showcased a mix of consistent performers and surprising comebacks, providing valuable insight into current consumer buying habits in the UK retail market:

• EA Sports FC 25: The annual football powerhouse climbed back into second place, demonstrating the consistent, high-volume sales typical of the football genre’s yearly cycle, maintaining strong retail shelf presence.
• Star Wars Outlaws: The open-world adventure made a stunning reappearance in the charts at number 7. This dramatic return was directly fueled by the launch of the new Switch 2 version, with GfK data indicating that the Nintendo version accounted for a significant majority of the week’s total physical copies sold. This reaffirms the Switch 2’s capacity to drive massive physical sales volumes for major third-party releases.
• Cronos: The New Dawn: The new survival horror IP secured the week’s highest new entry, landing impressively at number 4. This strong debut suggests a healthy appetite for new, quality horror experiences in the UK market, achieving a far more successful launch than the established sports brands.
• Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto V: These perennial best-sellers continue their relentless chart presence, proving that foundational, multi-generational games remain a cornerstone of the physical market, especially as reliable budget gaming and gifting options.

The latest chart breakdown serves as a crucial metric for investors and publishers, illustrating the complex landscape of the modern video game industry. While Nintendo’s first-party hits dominate the high-margin physical retail space, other AAA franchises are seeing their retail performance increasingly decouple from their actual commercial success, with digital sales and microtransactions becoming the true revenue drivers.

The market signals a return to a “long tail” sales strategy for premium Nintendo titles like Mario Kart World, contrasted with the immediate, high-volume digital transactions that characterize the launch strategies of franchises like NBA 2K26. Retail investment and marketing spend must now be strategically allocated to reflect these two distinct consumer pathways. (Source: GfK UK Chart Data)