November 2024 proved to be a difficult month for the UK online game trade, with gross sales figures highlighting important declines in comparison with the earlier 12 months. Knowledge from GSD reveals that simply over three million video video games had been offered all through the month—a dramatic 33% drop year-on-year. Nonetheless, the numbers include vital context that helps clarify the downturn.
Essentially the most notable issue impacting this 12 months’s November efficiency is the absence of a serious recreation launch similar to Name of Obligation: Fashionable Warfare 3, which launched in November 2023. This 12 months’s Name of Obligation: Black Ops 6 hit cabinets earlier in October, eradicating a key gross sales driver from November’s figures. Moreover, the timing of Black Friday—which fell simply exterior the reporting window for this 12 months’s November information—additional skews comparisons. Consequently, whereas November seems weak, December’s numbers are prone to present a corresponding rebound.
Regardless of these mitigating elements, Black Friday efficiency itself nonetheless fell in need of expectations. In the course of the week of Black Friday, roughly 1.53 million video games had been offered, marking an 8% decline in comparison with the identical gross sales interval in 2023. Though this determine is decrease, it does recommend that client curiosity stays fairly robust, albeit barely diminished year-on-year.
High Performers and New Releases: EA Struggles Whereas Dragon Age Falters
Main the charts as soon as once more in November is Name of Obligation: Black Ops 6, sustaining its dominance after a profitable October launch. EA’s EA Sports activities FC 25 claims the second spot however skilled a noticeable decline in comparison with final 12 months. November gross sales for EA’s flagship soccer title are down by 22%, whereas its Black Friday efficiency alone was additionally 20% behind that of 2023. These figures underline a slower 12 months for considered one of gaming’s most constant sellers.
The best-ranked new entry for November is Dragon Age: The Veilguard, debuting at No.3. Nonetheless, its early efficiency has been underwhelming. After 4 weeks on sale, the title ranks because the twelfth fastest-selling recreation of 2024, falling behind opponents like Star Wars Outlaws (15% increased gross sales) and Dragon’s Dogma 2 (21% stronger). Whereas Dragon Age edges out Ultimate Fantasy VII: Rebirth by 1.5%, its launch trajectory suggests slower-than-expected momentum for EA’s anticipated RPG.
One other notable launch, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, narrowly missed the High 10, touchdown at No.11. Over its first three weeks, gross sales of the Mario RPG fell quick in comparison with different current Mario titles. Brothership carried out 16% under Paper Mario: The Thousand-Yr Door (launched in Could) and trailed Tremendous Mario RPG (November 2023) by 19%. You will need to observe that these comparisons embody solely bodily gross sales, as Nintendo continues to withhold digital information from trade reporting.
Console Gross sales Replicate Black Friday Shift; PS5 Professional Debuts Sturdy
On the {hardware} entrance, practically 270,000 recreation consoles had been offered throughout the UK in November, a powerful 85% enhance over October. Nonetheless, in comparison with November 2023, gross sales are down by a pointy 45%. Very similar to with recreation gross sales, this decline is basically as a result of exclusion of Black Friday information on this 12 months’s reporting window.
GfK insights recommend that Black Friday nonetheless delivered robust outcomes for consoles, significantly for Sony’s PlayStation 5. The newly launched PS5 Professional proved to be a well-liked selection, accounting for 26% of all PS5 items offered throughout November. This robust begin for the premium mannequin underscores continued client demand for upgraded {hardware} regardless of financial pressures.
Equipment: DualSense Controllers Keep Market Lead
The equipment market adopted the same development, with 1.05 million items offered all through November—a 58% enhance from October however an 18% drop year-on-year. As soon as once more, Black Friday’s absence from the November dataset distorts the comparability.
Sony’s DualSense controllers dominated the accent charts, with the basic White variant main gross sales and the Midnight Black version carefully following at No.2. A particular launch—the thirtieth Anniversary Restricted Version DualSense—additionally made a notable debut, securing the No.4 place.
Conclusion
Whereas November 2024’s figures present a considerable drop in each software program and {hardware} gross sales, the absence of Black Friday information and the dearth of high-profile recreation releases performed a major function in shaping the outcomes. Name of Obligation continues to reign on the prime, however titles like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Mario & Luigi: Brothership spotlight combined fortunes for brand spanking new releases. Sturdy {hardware} gross sales throughout Black Friday, significantly for the PS5 Professional, recommend that December’s figures could paint a extra constructive image as the vacation season progresses.
1. Name of Obligation: Black Ops 62. EA Sports activities FC 253. Dragon Age: The Veilguard4. Hogwarts Legacy5. Grand Theft Auto 56. Tremendous Mario Celebration Jamboree*7. Horizon: Zero Daybreak Remastered8. Nintendo Change Sports activities*9. Tremendous Mario Bros. Marvel*10. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe (Nintendo)*
*Digital gross sales excluded for Nintendo titles.
