European Video Game Sales Remain Strong in February, Driven by Helldivers 2

According to recent data from GSD, a total of 16.74 million video games were sold across Europe in February, representing a 21.2% increase over the same period last year. However, considering the difference in the number of weeks between the two periods, sales are actually down 0.1% when compared to the same five-week period in 2023. This still marks a strong performance, especially considering the major success of Hogwarts Legacy in the previous year. The release of Helldivers 2 from Sony was a significant contributor to this month's sales, with over 56% of its sales coming from the PC platform. The game demonstrated remarkable staying power, with sales increasing 70% in its second week and 3% in its third week, before slowing down slightly with a 28% drop in week four. For context, most games typically experience a 60-80% drop in sales after the first week. After four weeks, Helldivers 2's sales are 5% behind those of Sony's previous hit, Spider-Man 2, which had a higher price point and was exclusive to the PS5. Other notable performers include EA Sports FC 24, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, and Ubisoft's Skull and Bones. Despite a strong critical reception, Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth's opening week sales were 23% lower than its predecessor, although it's worth noting that the original game launched on a different platform with a larger install base and during the COVID-19 lockdowns. In contrast to the robust game sales, console sales experienced a decline, with 474,469 consoles sold across Europe in February. This represents an 11% increase over the previous year, but when adjusting for the difference in weeks, sales are actually down 14%. All major platforms posted sales drops, with the PS5 being the most resilient at a 2% decline, followed by the Switch at 17%, and the Xbox Series S and X at 47%. The sales of accessories and add-ons remained strong, with 1.6 million units sold, led by the PS5 DualSense and Xbox Wireless controllers.