European Video Game Sales See 12% Surge in October, Driven by Blockbuster Releases

European video game sales experienced a significant 12.4% increase in October, with 18.5 million games sold across the region. This surge can be attributed to the release of highly anticipated titles, including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which launched in October and saw its opening two weeks' sales rise by 5% compared to the previous year's Modern Warfare 3. However, when compared to 2022's Modern Warfare 2, launch sales were down by 28%. The availability of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 on Game Pass has likely impacted sales, with a notable drop in premium sales on Xbox platforms. In contrast, PlayStation versions of the game saw a 26% increase in sales over Modern Warfare 3 and a 2% increase over Modern Warfare 2. EA Sports FC 25 took second place, with sales slightly down by 2% compared to the previous year's game. The new Dragon Ball title, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, debuted at number three, with sales more than doubling those of the previous fastest-selling Dragon Ball game. Other new releases, such as Super Mario Party Jamboree, Silent Hill 2, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, also made the Top Ten. The boxing game Undisputed performed well, and Metaphor: Refantazio saw a strong launch despite being a new IP. In terms of hardware, console sales were down by 26% compared to the same period last year, with PS5 sales down by 29%, Nintendo Switch sales down by 10%, and Xbox sales down by 49%. Accessory sales also saw a decline of nearly 13%. The data includes digital sales from participating companies, such as Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft, as well as physical sales from major markets across Europe.