Best-selling video games in Europe in September 2024

In September 2024, the European online game market noticed a major surge, with gross sales leaping over 20% in comparison with the identical month final yr. In accordance with the most recent GSD knowledge, a complete of 17.6 million PC and console video games had been offered throughout Europe, marking a strong month for the business, which noticed a number of high-profile releases and aggressive advertising campaigns driving development. The efficiency of common franchises like EA Sports activities FC 25, Warhammer 40,000: Area Marine 2, Astro Bot, and others contributed considerably to the uptick in gross sales.

High Performers and New Releases

Main the charts in September was EA Sports activities FC 25. Regardless of a softer launch in comparison with the earlier yr’s iteration, with preliminary gross sales down by 2% within the first two weeks, the higher-priced premium model fared higher. Gross sales for the premium model, which supplied early entry, had been almost 10% increased than the equal model final yr. This blended end result suggests a secure but barely altering panorama for the favored soccer recreation, with some gamers choosing the premium entry whereas others might have delayed their buy.

Following EA Sports activities FC 25, Ubisoft’s The Crew 2 claimed the second spot, a stunning feat for a recreation launched again in 2018. Ubisoft capitalized on a strategic promotional marketing campaign, the place the sport was virtually given away without spending a dime, requiring solely a minimal platform price of €1. This aggressive method breathed new life into the title, propelling it again into the limelight and demonstrating the enduring attraction of open-world racing video games when coupled with efficient pricing methods.

The standout shock for the month was undoubtedly Warhammer 40,000: Area Marine 2, which raced into third place. The sport has rapidly grow to be one of many top-selling new releases of the yr, outperforming different high-profile titles equivalent to Dragon’s Dogma 2, The Final of Us Half 2: Remastered, and Closing Fantasy VII Rebirth. Area Marine 2 is not only a significant success for the Warhammer franchise, it’s on observe to grow to be the best-selling Warhammer recreation throughout Europe, doubtlessly eclipsing the Complete Warfare: Warhammer collection. This efficiency is a testomony to the franchise’s broadening attraction and the anticipation surrounding this explicit sequel.

One other notable launch was Astro Bot, a 3D platformer from PlayStation that had a powerful debut. 4 weeks into its launch, its gross sales exceeded these of earlier 3D platformers equivalent to Sonic Frontiers (by 34%) and Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (by 52%). Its efficiency even surpassed that of Ratchet & Clank: Rift Aside over a comparable interval in 2021, marking a promising reception for the sport, which aimed to attraction to a broad viewers on the PS5 platform.

Different Highlights in September’s Charts

The European charts noticed a number of different outstanding titles making an impression. NBA 2K25 landed at quantity six, displaying a modest 1% enhance in launch gross sales in comparison with its predecessor, 2K24. This slight uptick might point out a gentle however not overwhelming development in demand for the basketball simulation collection.

Nintendo’s newest entry within the Zelda franchise, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Knowledge, debuted at quantity eight. The sport was solely out there for every week when the charts had been compiled, and its place was primarily based solely on bodily gross sales since Nintendo doesn’t share its digital gross sales knowledge. Whereas bodily gross sales had been 15% decrease than the 2019 launch of Hyperlink’s Awakening, the true impression of the sport’s launch stays troublesome to gauge given the rise of digital downloads lately.

Rounding out the highest ten was the revival of the Check Drive franchise with Check Drive Limitless Photo voltaic Crown, signaling a profitable return for the racing collection after a hiatus.

{Hardware} and Equipment Market Traits

Whereas software program gross sales confirmed strong development, the {hardware} market skilled a downturn. Throughout tracked European markets, 335,000 consoles had been offered in September 2024, marking an 18% decline in comparison with the earlier yr. The PS5 maintained its lead because the top-selling console regardless of a 17% year-on-year drop in gross sales. In distinction, the Nintendo Change managed a slight 1.5% enhance in gross sales, probably spurred by the launch of the Zelda-themed Change Lite.

The Xbox Collection S and X suffered essentially the most vital decline, with gross sales plummeting by 58% in comparison with final yr. This sharp drop could be partly attributed to the absence of a significant Xbox launch akin to Starfield from September 2023, which had pushed console gross sales then.

Within the equipment phase, almost 1.1 million objects had been offered, representing a 2.4% year-over-year decline. The PS5 DualSense controller remained the top-selling accent, doubtlessly bolstered by the discharge of the particular version Astro Bot variant, which added some selection to the product lineup.

A Broader Take a look at the Market

Total, September 2024 showcased the gaming business’s potential to drive substantial development via strategic promotions and anticipated releases. The resurgence of older titles like The Crew 2, the stable debut of sequels equivalent to Warhammer 40,000: Area Marine 2, and the continual success of established franchises like EA Sports activities FC highlighted the dynamic nature of the market. Nevertheless, the blended efficiency in {hardware} gross sales steered that the business may be shifting in the direction of a extra software-centric development section, with digital content material and progressive recreation releases serving as major drivers.