Summary
- Major gaming console sales in Europe dropped in 2024 due to market saturation and a lack of new releases.
- The PlayStation 5 Pro was the only new console from major companies, but it couldn't prevent an overall sales decline.
- Overall gaming sales in Europe saw only a 1% increase in 2024, with digital sales rising and physical copies falling.
2024 wasn't a stellar year for video game consoles in parts of Europe, impacting all major players like the Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation. The year saw a noticeable downward trend in new console sales across the region, though the gaming industry wasn't entirely downbeat.
The PlayStation 5 Pro, a revamped version of an existing console, was the only new release from the big three game companies in 2024. Despite high anticipation among fans for a more powerful Sony console, it didn't manage to boost overall sales figures in Europe compared to previous years.
According to a report by Video Games Chronicle, data showed that the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch struggled in Europe, with console sales dropping a significant 21% from the previous year. PlayStation, buoyed somewhat by the PS5 Pro's launch, fared the best, yet its sales still declined by 20% compared to 2023. The Nintendo Switch saw a 15% drop from 2023, while the Xbox Series X/S experienced a dramatic 48% decrease. This downturn is attributed to a stagnant console market, with the original PS5 and Xbox Series consoles launched in 2020 and the Nintendo Switch in 2017. On Amazon's US site, the Meta Quest 3S outsold all major game consoles in 2024, suggesting that console sales are stagnating in many regions.
Video Game Sales Shift and Growth Stagnates
Overall, gaming in Europe saw a modest increase in 2024, with 188.1 million PC and console games sold, marking just a 1% rise over the previous year. While any growth is positive, it fell short of what many game publishers might have hoped for. The data also highlights a shift in purchasing habits, with digital game sales increasing to 131.6 million, a 15% rise from 2023, while physical game copy sales dropped to 56.5 million, a 22% decrease from the prior year.
Looking ahead, 2025 is anticipated to be a stronger year for gaming in Europe and globally, with the upcoming release of the Nintendo Switch 2 expected to drive significant sales. However, it's important to note that the 2024 console sales figures exclude data from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and other countries. Including these markets might have presented a less bleak picture for 2024.
