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 12 months. In keeping with the newest GSD knowledge, a complete of 17.6 million PC and console video games have been offered throughout Europe, marking a sturdy month for the business, which noticed a number of high-profile releases and aggressive advertising campaigns driving progress. The efficiency of well-liked franchises like EA Sports activities FC 25, Warhammer 40,000: House Marine 2, Astro Bot, and others contributed considerably to the uptick in gross sales.

Prime 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 12 months’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, have been practically 10% larger than the equal model final 12 months. This combined consequence suggests a steady but barely altering panorama for the favored soccer sport, with some gamers choosing the premium entry whereas others could have delayed their buy.

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

The standout shock for the month was undoubtedly Warhammer 40,000: House Marine 2, which raced into third place. The sport has rapidly develop into one of many top-selling new releases of the 12 months, outperforming different high-profile titles corresponding to Dragon’s Dogma 2, The Final of Us Half 2: Remastered, and Ultimate Fantasy VII Rebirth. House Marine 2 isn’t just a significant success for the Warhammer franchise, it’s on monitor to develop into the best-selling Warhammer sport throughout Europe, probably eclipsing the Whole Struggle: Warhammer sequence. This efficiency is a testomony to the franchise’s broadening enchantment 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 corresponding 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 enchantment 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 influence. NBA 2K25 landed at quantity six, exhibiting a modest 1% improve in launch gross sales in comparison with its predecessor, 2K24. This slight uptick could point out a gentle however not overwhelming progress in demand for the basketball simulation sequence.

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 have been compiled, and its place was based mostly solely on bodily gross sales since Nintendo doesn’t share its digital gross sales knowledge. Whereas bodily gross sales have been 15% decrease than the 2019 launch of Hyperlink’s Awakening, the true influence of the sport’s launch stays tough 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 sequence after a hiatus.

{Hardware} and Equipment Market Traits

Whereas software program gross sales confirmed strong progress, the {hardware} market skilled a downturn. Throughout tracked European markets, 335,000 consoles have been offered in September 2024, marking an 18% decline in comparison with the earlier 12 months. 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 Swap managed a slight 1.5% improve in gross sales, presumably spurred by the launch of the Zelda-themed Swap Lite.

The Xbox Sequence S and X suffered essentially the most vital decline, with gross sales plummeting by 58% in comparison with final 12 months. This sharp drop might 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, practically 1.1 million objects have been offered, representing a 2.4% year-over-year decline. The PS5 DualSense controller remained the top-selling accent, probably 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 skill to drive substantial progress by means of strategic promotions and anticipated releases. The resurgence of older titles like The Crew 2, the strong debut of sequels corresponding to Warhammer 40,000: House Marine 2, and the continual success of established franchises like EA Sports activities FC highlighted the dynamic nature of the market. Nonetheless, the combined efficiency in {hardware} gross sales steered that the business is perhaps shifting in direction of a extra software-centric progress part, with digital content material and modern sport releases serving as main drivers.