European Gaming Market Sees Decline in November Sales

According to the latest GSD data, 18.1 million video games were sold across Europe in November 2022, marking a 17% decline from the same period last year. The drop in sales was attributed to a decrease in both digital and physical game sales, with 7.8 million games downloaded and 10.4 million bought physically. Notably, the absence of a major Call of Duty release in November, as well as weaker sales of FIFA, contributed to the decline. However, the launch of God of War Ragnarok was a significant success, selling 62% more units than its predecessor in its first three weeks. The game's PS5 version accounted for 69% of total sales. Meanwhile, the combined sales of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet were only slightly lower than God of War Ragnarok, and would have likely taken the top spot if digital sales data were included. In terms of console sales, the Nintendo Switch remained the best-selling console, but its sales were down year-on-year. In contrast, both PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S and X saw an increase in sales, with the PS5 experiencing a 49% growth. The peripheral market also saw a decline, with 1.8 million accessories sold, an 11% drop from the previous year. The PS5 DualSense controller was the top-selling device, with sales up 66% from last November.