European Video Game Sales Experience 1.7% Growth in 2023

In 2023, the European video game market witnessed a 1.7% rise in sales, with 182 million PC and console games sold. This uptrend is based on data from GSD, which tracks physical game sales across major European markets and digital sales from prominent publishers. EA Sports FC 24 led the sales charts, despite a 9% decline compared to FIFA 23 in 2022. Hogwarts Legacy secured the second spot, achieving unprecedented sales for a non-EA football game in a calendar year since 2017. The new Call of Duty experienced a disappointing year, with sales down 32% compared to Modern Warfare 2 in 2022. Nintendo Switch exclusives, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros Wonder, performed well, ranking seventh and ninth, respectively. Rockstar had a strong year, with GTA 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 ranking fifth and eighth. The top ten was rounded off by Spider-Man 2. Other notable games in the top 20 included Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Assassin's Creed Mirage, and Resident Evil 4 Remake. The top 100 included Dead Space Remake, Final Fantasy 16, and Mortal Kombat 1. In terms of platforms, PC led the sales, followed by PS5, Switch, PS4, and Xbox Series S and X. The UK remained the largest European market for games, followed by Germany, France, Spain, and Italy. Console sales surged 42% across Europe, driven primarily by a 177% increase in PS5 sales. The PS5 was the best-selling console, while Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series S and X witnessed declines in sales. The accessories market saw a 9% rise in sales, led by the PS5 DualSense controller.