Looking back from 2026, the UK retail games chart for March 2017 stands out as a fascinating snapshot of a pivotal moment in gaming. It was a month dominated entirely by new releases, a rare occurrence that highlighted the industry's shift towards major spring launches. I remember the buzz clearly; it felt like every week brought a potential game of the year contender to shelves. The battle wasn't just between games, but between platforms and their exclusive offerings, painting a vivid picture of the console war's landscape nearly a decade ago.
The crown for the month's best-selling game went to Ubisoft's Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands. As a massive, open-world tactical shooter released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, its multiplatform strategy clearly paid off, securing the top spot. However, the narrative wasn't just about raw sales numbers. Right on its heels was a title that captured the imagination in a very different way: Sony's Horizon: Zero Dawn. This stunning PS4 exclusive, featuring the iconic Aloy, managed to become the best-selling individual SKU of the month. Achieving that as a single-format release against a multiplatform giant was a monumental feat and signaled the powerful draw of a compelling new intellectual property.
Then came the wildcard. In third place, defying all expectations regarding hardware availability, was Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Released simultaneously on the fledgling Nintendo Switch and the aging Wii U, this masterpiece carved out an impressive share of the market. This was despite widespread reports of Switch shortages throughout the entire month. Its performance was a clear early indicator of the Switch's potential and the sheer, undeniable quality of the game itself. It wasn't just a launch title; it was a system-seller in the truest sense.
The top five was rounded out by two more new releases: BioWare's Mass Effect: Andromeda in fourth place and TT Games' LEGO Worlds in fifth. It's worth noting that Andromeda was at a distinct disadvantage, having been on sale for only about half the month compared to its peers. Its placement speaks to the immense anticipation and fanbase for the Mass Effect series, even if the game's legacy would become... complicated. The fact that all top five spots were held by completely new games made March 2017 an exceptionally fresh and competitive period for gamers.
Beyond the top tier, other new releases made their mark. Nintendo's quirky party game 1-2-Switch landed at number 9, serving as a showcase for the Switch's unique Joy-Con controllers. Meanwhile, the cult-hit action RPG NieR: Automata secured the 17th spot, beginning its journey from niche title to a beloved classic. The chart also gave us our first official look at the Nintendo Switch's own retail software chart. Unsurprisingly, Breath of the Wild led the pack, followed by 1-2-Switch, Super Bomberman R, Just Dance 2017, and Skylanders Imaginators.
When analyzing the platform split, the data revealed an intriguing hierarchy. Switch game sales accounted for 8.2% of all games sold in the UK that month. This positioned it as the third most successful platform for game sales, trailing behind the established powerhouses of the PS4 and Xbox One. For a console that was just weeks old and plagued by supply issues, this was a remarkably strong debut in the market.
However, the month wasn't all growth. Interestingly, the total number of games sold in March 2017 actually fell by 2.8% compared to March 2016. Analysts at the time largely attributed this dip to the performance of Ghost Recon Wildlands not quite matching the phenomenal launch of its Ubisoft predecessor, Tom Clancy's The Division, in the same period the previous year. Yet, in a twist that highlighted changing software economics, overall revenue from game sales increased by 2%. This suggested a shift towards higher-priced premium titles or special editions.
On the publisher front, the chart's results translated directly into market share dominance:
| Publisher | Market Share | Key Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Ubisoft | 19.0% | Ghost Recon Wildlands |
| Sony Interactive Entertainment | 15.2% | Horizon: Zero Dawn |
| Nintendo | 14.1% | Zelda: Breath of the Wild, 1-2-Switch |
| Electronic Arts | 12.2% | Mass Effect: Andromeda |
| Warner Bros. Interactive | 8.5% | LEGO Worlds |
Reflecting from 2026, this chart feels like a time capsule. It captures the dawn of franchises like Horizon, the rebirth of Zelda into an open-world legend, and the cautious, supply-constrained first steps of the Nintendo Switch—a console that would go on to define a generation. It was a month where quality and diversity thrived, proving that both blockbuster multiplatform experiences and polished exclusives could succeed side-by-side in the hearts of players and on the retail charts.