Ghost of Tsushima breaks digital sale records with 1.9 million units sold in July

Ghost of Tsushima surpassed 1.9 million digital downloads in its first month on sale, making it PlayStation’s fastest ever selling new IP on the PS Store. 

Prior to the launch of Sucker Punch’s critically acclaimed slash ‘em up, Horizon Zero Dawn held that digital crown, with Aloy’s adventure shifting 1.9 million virtual copies in its first two months. Sony’s third most recent new IP, burly biker sim Days Gone, took two months to surpass 1.3 million digital sales.

If Tsushima’s current plaudits weren’t impressive enough, it turns out it has also cemented itself as the biggest digital game to be launched in any July, ever –  and on any console, no less. At this point, it kind of feels like Sucker Punch are just showing off….

Thankfully for their blushing contemporaries then, Sony’s Washington studio isn’t alone in having cause to celebrate, with Covid19 seemingly driving record numbers of gamers to abandon physical copies in favour of digital downloads. June’s The Last Of Us 2 became the fastest-selling digital PlayStation Exclusive to date, shifting a whooping 2.8 million virtual units in its first month on sale.

Yet it’s not just Sony hoarding all the digital cash. Nintendo too has enjoyed record-breaking eshop sales during these strange times, with the publisher revealing that more than 50% of Animal Crossing: New Horizon’s 13.4 million sales were digital. Paper Mario: Origami King also managed to shift a more modest 555,000 digital copies last month, which was still more eshop units than Nintendo’s big July 2019 release Fire Emblem: Three Houses sold during the same period.

With Microsoft doubling down on digital with its discless Xbox One S SKU, and PC gamers having long abandoned those shining pieces of plastic, it seems as though the days of hoarding countless physical boxes may be coming to an end. 

Just started your samurai adventure? Make sure to check out our Ghosts of Tsushima guide here.