The Most Popular Games in Wales Right Now

In Wales, just like the rest of the UK and the world, video gaming continues to become more and more popular. Sales continue to climb as an ever-growing number of people spend larger and larger sums on this interactive form of entertainment.

But while the video gaming industry is incredibly diverse, there are some titles that enjoy more popularity than others. Here in Wales, these are those games.

FIFA

The news was recently dominated by the story that Electronic Arts was ending its decades-long relationship with the world governing body of football. This decision would see the FIFA name dropped from its popular series of football simulation games.

That decision will not come into effect for another year, though, so until then FIFA is still the biggest football game on the planet. And in the UK as a whole, FIFA 22 and FIFA 21 sold a combined 2.9 million copies last year, making them the first and fourth-best-selling titles in the country.

The popularity is string in Wales too, especially thanks to the fact that football has overtaken rugby to become the most popular sport in the country.

With the new domestic season just down the road, the release of FIFA 23 is edging ever closer, ready to deliver another boost in sales for the franchise.

SLOTS

Wales is no stranger to slot games. They’ve been found in various locations for decades and have been able to build quite a following.

Over time, slot games have become more and more advanced as technology has given developers more tools to be creative with. Part of this development has been the rapid growth of online casinos which allow players access to a much wider selection of video slots on browsers and via specialized applications.

But although there’s been a big push for modern features in slot games, some players still prefer the traditional options. To serve these players, many casinos offer games with a retro feel, using fruit symbols and classic sounds like bells and buzzers. Some even go further by providing information on how to play penny slots for players that appreciate an experience closer to one typical a few decades ago, both in Wales and in other countries around the globe.

Maid of Sker

Most games played in Wales are created either outside the country or by studios owned by multinational companies. The result of this is there hasn’t been much focus on Welsh language or culture in titles.

This changed recently, though, when a home-grown development studio known as Wales Interactive created Maid of Sker.

The game recently surpassed one million downloads, equating to one-third of Wales’ population. It received rave reviews from critics and players alike, helping it to achieve this great success.

Call of Duty

Call of Duty, like FIFA, this video game franchise that enjoys annual releases. Across the UK, Call of Duty: Vanguard and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War enjoyed 1.5 million downloads in 2021 alone, taking the second and sixth spots in the best sellers list respectively.

This figure also doesn’t include Warzone and Mobile, two versions that are free to download, making them even more accessible.

Thanks to this continued popularity, Wales has produced several talented Call of Duty eSports players and streamers over the years too, including Jordan “Avo” Thomas and Rhys “Rated” Price.

Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V turns nine later this year, but it remains one of the most popular video games on the planet. Despite being one of the best-selling games of all time, it was still in the top three of the 2021 sales list in the UK with nearly 1 million copies sold.

Part of its continued success is down to the regular updates that Rockstar pumps out for its online functionality and the fact that its so big that players have near-infinite opportunities when they explore the city.

Here in Wales, demand for GTA is just as high as in the rest of the UK, with copies still available in all major game retailers across the country.