The European gaming market saw a 12.4% year-over-year increase in October, with an impressive 18.5 million video games sold. This spike was largely driven by the highly anticipated launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which debuted in October, unlike its predecessor, Modern Warfare 3, which launched in November last year.
Call of Duty Dominates the ChartsThe latest installment, Black Ops 6, recorded a 5% increase in unit sales during its first two weeks compared to last year’s Modern Warfare 3. However, when measured against 2022’s Modern Warfare 2, launch sales were down by 28%. A major factor influencing these numbers is the inclusion of Black Ops 6 in Microsoft’s Game Pass subscription service, where digital downloads on Xbox and PC are not tracked. This has led to a sharp decline in premium sales for Xbox but a notable 26% sales increase for PlayStation versions compared to Modern Warfare 3, hinting at a significant growth in overall player numbers.
Newcomers Drive ExcitementEA Sports FC 25 secured the second spot, with sales just 2% below last year’s title. Meanwhile, Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero achieved a monumental debut at No.3. With launch sales more than double those of 2020’s Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot, it has become the fastest-selling title in the franchise’s history.
At No.5, Super Mario Party Jamboree made a strong impression, although its physical sales were 6% below 2021’s Mario Party Superstars. Following closely, Silent Hill 2, a remake by Konami, landed at No.6 but fell short of other horror remakes like Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space, with sales down 57% and 31%, respectively.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard debuted at No.7, performing well in the UK but lagging in other European markets. First-week sales trailed behind recent RPGs such as Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth. Closing out the Top 10 was the indie boxing game Undisputed, which demonstrated robust demand for licensed boxing titles.
Beyond the Top TenJust outside the top ranks was Metaphor: Refantazio, a new IP from Atlus, which outperformed previous Persona titles despite trailing behind the launch of Persona 5 Royal. Meanwhile, Sonic X Shadow Generations landed at No.16, doubling sales of last year’s Sonic Superstars but falling short of 2022’s Sonic Frontiers.
Hardware and Accessories DeclineThe hardware market contracted significantly, with console sales dropping by 26% year-over-year to 422,000 units. The PS5 saw a 29% decline, Switch sales fell by 10%, and Xbox numbers plummeted by 49%. Accessories fared slightly better but still experienced a 13% drop, with 1.4 million units sold.
Below are top 10 best-selling video games (Digital + Physical) in Europe in October 2024
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 62. EA Sports FC 253. Dragon Ball: Sparkling! Zero4. Hogwarts Legacy5. Super Mario Party Jamboree*6. Silent Hill 27. Dragon Age: The Veilguard8. Grand Theft Auto 59. The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom*10. Undisputed