Italy's Most Popular Games

In 2022, FIFA claimed the top and third spots in Italy's best-selling games list, with FIFA 23 outselling its closest competitor, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, by nearly four times. The country's passion for football is evident in these sales figures, which also show FIFA 22 narrowly trailing Call of Duty. According to data from IIDEA and GSD, 11.5 million games were sold in Italy in 2022, mirroring the previous year's numbers. However, 2023 has seen a 4% increase in game sales, with 5.8 million video games sold as of July. Console sales reached €287 million in 2022, a 10% decline from 2021 due to decreased Nintendo Switch sales and stock shortages affecting PlayStation 5. In contrast, Xbox Series S and X sales rose by 9%. The trend has reversed in 2023, with console revenue increasing by 104% thanks to improved PS5 supply, which saw a 283% revenue jump. Meanwhile, Nintendo Switch sales have dropped by 8%, and Xbox Series S and X sales have decreased by 23%. A consumer survey by GameTrack found that 32% of the Italian population, or 14.2 million people, played video games in 2022, with 81% of players over 18 and an average player age of 30. The survey also revealed that nearly 70% of players game on mobile, 46% on console, and 38% on PC. Women make up 42% of players in Italy, with male console players favoring sports titles, racing games, and adventure games, while female console players prefer family games, adventure, and sports. On PC, men prefer strategy games, adventure, and RPGs, whereas women prefer family, arcade, and adventure games. Both men and women on mobile prefer puzzle games, trivia games, and role-playing games. In terms of playtime, nearly 70% of participants play games weekly, with an average playtime of 7.5 hours in 2022, slightly lower than the pandemic peak but still above pre-pandemic levels.