European game sales remained strong in the first half of 2024 despite fewer AAA video games being released compared to last year.
That’s according to GSD data published byGI.biz, which suggests that just under 80 millionPCand console games were sold across Europe for the first six months of 2024.
That represents a drop of 1.6% in terms of unit sales, which is a strong performance considering the first half of 2023 saw the release of major titles such asHogwarts Legacy,The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Diablo IV andStar Wars Jedi: Survivor.
In comparison, 2024 has seen just two new games break into the top ten sales chart:Helldivers 2(at No.2) andThe Last of Us: Part 2Remastered (at No.10).
In terms of revenue, because many of this year’s top sellers have a lower selling price, the market is likely down more severely. In the UK, games revenue was down 30% over the first half of the year, according to GI.
It’s worth noting that GSD tracks physical sales in all major European markets, but is missing digital sales from some companies such asNintendo. Data forPalworld, one of the year’s biggest hits, is also missing.
In terms of console hardware, the European market is down 24%, with 2.2 million units sold.PS5is down 16%,Switchdown 32% andXbox Series Sand X down 37%. This is likely due to a weaker release slate and an aging Switch platform.
