September saw a minor downturn in video game sales across Europe, with hardware and software both impacted. In contrast, the PS5 saw increased sales, and the Switch and Xbox Series experienced declines. On the software side, EA Sports FC 24 took the lead but couldn’t entirely prevent a dip in sales compared to last year. Let’s delve into the specifics.
In September, console sales across Europe were up by nearly 38% compared to September 2022. The PS5 led the pack, with sales increasing by 175% over last September. However, the Nintendo Switch and the Xbox Series S and X didn’t fare as well, with sales down by 28% and 35%, respectively.
EA Sports FC 24 led the charts and performed well in major European markets like the UK. However, its sales were down by 10% compared to last year’s FIFA 23. EA had expected some decline due to the name change, and when compared to FIFA 22, the drop is only 3.7%.
Another significant release, NBA 2K24, also faced a slump, with its first three weeks on sale down by 17% compared to NBA 2K23.
Xbox’s new game, Starfield, came in second place for the month. The launch was strong, but the game couldn’t beat Forza Horizon 5 as Xbox’s best-selling game launch this generation. It’s worth mentioning that Starfield’s Game Pass data is unavailable, which leaves a gap in the overall performance assessment.
The Crew Motorfest showed an uptick, with sales up 6.5% over its predecessor, The Crew 2. Mortal Kombat 1, however, dropped nearly 39% compared to Mortal Kombat 11.
EA Sports FC 24 was the top seller in the UK and other major European markets. NBA 2K24 held the second spot in Italy and Spain, while The Crew Motorfest claimed the same position in France.
Accessory sales were quite strong, with 1.1 million add-on products sold, driven primarily by Sony’s PS5 DualSense Controller and the Xbox Series Wireless controller.
September 2023 has shown ups and downs in the European video game market. While new releases like EA Sports FC 24 and Starfield made strong debuts, they weren’t enough to offset declines in other areas. Hardware sales also presented a mixed picture, with the PS5 seeing a rise but other consoles experiencing drops. Overall, it was a month of small fluctuations, providing plenty for both gamers and industry analysts to think about.
European Game Sales for September 2023
| Category | Position | Title | Percentage Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware | / | / | / |
| 1 | PS5 | +175% | |
| 2 | Switch | -28% | |
| 3 | Xbox Series | -35% | |
| Software | / | / | / |
| 1 | EA Sports FC 24 | -10% vs FIFA 23 | |
| 2 | Starfield | 13% below Forza Horizon 5 | |
| 3 | NBA 2K24 | -17% | |
| 4 | The Crew Motorfest | +6.5% | |
| 5 | Mortal Kombat 1 | -39% | |
| 6 | Payday 3 | N/A | |
| 7 | GTAV | N/A | |
| 8 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | N/A | |
| 9 | Titanfall 2 | N/A | |
| 10 | Hogwarts Legacy | N/A |
