We are one week away from crowing 2019's Christmas No.1, and currently Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is in prime position.
Activision's shooter returns to the summit of the UK physical charts despite a 10% drop in sales week-on-week. The title replaces FIFA 20, which falls to No.3 after sales slipped 41% over the previous week.
Call of Duty was just 3,000 sales ahead of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which is at No.2. The licensed EA game is probably benefitting from the excitement around the upcoming Star Wars movie -- The Rise of Skywalker. Sales for the game rose 30% week-on-week, and if it manages a similar feat next week (not unthinkable with the release of the movie), it might be a rare moment where neither Call of Duty or FIFA takes home the Christmas crown.
As an outside bet for Christmas No.1 there is Mario Kart 8: Deluxe, which has enjoyed a very strong December following the launch of a special Nintendo Switch bundle. However, week-on-week sales are down 30%, so it would be a surprise if the perennial seller manages to knock out FIFA, Star Wars or Call of Duty.
Mario Kart is currently at No.4 and is just holding off its friendly rival Luigi's Mansion 3, with just 2,000 boxed units separating the two games this week (Luigi's sales were up 49% week-on-week). Luigi's Mansion 3 has been a real hit for Nintendo this Christmas. Although it doesn't match the sales of Pokémon Sword and Shield, the puzzle adventure game has far exceeded previous games in the franchise, and has sold more copies than other popular Switch games this year - including New Super Mario Bros U Deluxe, Super Mario Maker 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.
Another success this Christmas has been Just Dance 2020 (which currently resides at No.7). For its first six weeks on sale, this year's Just Dance has more than doubled sales of last year's entry (physical sales only). Sales of the Wii version are down year-on-year, but the game has sold better on PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch (particularly Nintendo Switch).


https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articl...hristmas-chart ...

Welcome to 2019 (almost 2020) where nearly everything has been gamified... from education to marketing, and even the battle against fake news.

It was once held as one of the most disruptive tools to any business because it was one of the most functional ways of having real effects on outcomes, like improving training for employees and overall performance on the job.

In all honesty, gamification is a tool as traditional as any. Since the beginning of modern life, moms, dads, and kindergarten teachers have been using games to teach all sorts of lessons including values and attitudes, among other things.

Flash forward to the appearance of the first video game consoles and things began to change. All of a sudden, games were allowed a more expansive world all to their own. They were built around a universe that stood on graphics, storylines, design, and experiences to captivate gamers all over the world.

That first generation of gamers is now well into adulthood but still continues to enjoy gaming as part of their entertainment. They now have their own families, a disposable income but still, maintain the same gamers decision-making standards.

So taking all of this into consideration, let’s explore the good and bad sides of the increasing gamification of online casino games.

The Not-So-Good Side

Gamification of betting games can lead audiences not suited for them to be drawn in. The games, while more similar to regular video games now, still implicate aspects that those audiences do not care about, making them disinterested from playing. These websites follow strict rules to keep unfit audiences away from the sites and games, a simple software or app can also protect and prevent access. So there’s not much more to say there.

Others argue that gamification could take away from the original feel of the game. Well, there’s still plenty of choices for those who want to play the traditional way. No need to panic there, you will find the good old games anywhere you look.

Now The Good Side

It draws in a whole new generation of users: the gamers who grew up in love with adventure storylines, quests, rewards, advanced graphics and more challenges for their intellect. These games feel like more than just robotic exchanges of statistics and luck.

By offering the option to add a gamified version of betting, users can experience something that makes them more engaged in their play.

It is more than just betting now, players can enjoy the storyline, the challenges, and the rewards while putting little or maybe no money into it, which makes it a genuine form of entertainment for many. Gamification makes sure there's something for everyone, you just have to do a google search and you'll find a million options or browse through UK NetEnt casinos to see that no one is left out of the game.

This inclusion has been revolutionary and has elevated the industry’s development, design, and playing aspects of the genre.

Afterall at the heart of the matter, casino games are just that, games. They're just improved to satisfy the next, more demanding generation of players.
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