November 2024 proved to be a challenging month for the UK video game industry, with sales figures highlighting significant declines compared to the previous year. Data from GSD reveals that just over three million video games were sold throughout the month—a dramatic 33% drop year-on-year. However, the numbers come with important context that helps explain the downturn.
The most notable factor impacting this year’s November performance is the absence of a major game release comparable to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, which launched in November 2023. This year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 hit shelves earlier in October, removing a key sales driver from November’s figures. Additionally, the timing of Black Friday—which fell just outside the reporting window for this year’s November data—further skews comparisons. As a result, while November appears weak, December’s numbers are likely to show a corresponding rebound.
Despite these mitigating factors, Black Friday performance itself still fell short of expectations. During the week of Black Friday, approximately 1.53 million games were sold, marking an 8% decline compared to the same sales period in 2023. Although this figure is lower, it does suggest that consumer interest remains reasonably strong, albeit slightly diminished year-on-year.
Top Performers and New Releases: EA Struggles While Dragon Age Falters
Leading the charts once again in November is Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, maintaining its dominance after a successful October launch. EA’s EA Sports FC 25 claims the second spot but experienced a noticeable decline compared to last year. November sales for EA’s flagship football title are down by 22%, while its Black Friday performance alone was also 20% behind that of 2023. These figures underline a slower year for one of gaming’s most consistent sellers.
The highest-ranked new entry for November is Dragon Age: The Veilguard, debuting at No.3. However, its early performance has been underwhelming. After four weeks on sale, the title ranks as the 12th fastest-selling game of 2024, falling behind competitors like Star Wars Outlaws (15% higher sales) and Dragon’s Dogma 2 (21% stronger). While Dragon Age edges out Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth by 1.5%, its launch trajectory suggests slower-than-expected momentum for EA’s anticipated RPG.
Another notable release, Mario & Luigi: Brothership, narrowly missed the Top 10, landing at No.11. Over its first three weeks, sales of the Mario RPG fell short compared to other recent Mario titles. Brothership performed 16% below Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (released in May) and trailed Super Mario RPG (November 2023) by 19%. It is important to note that these comparisons include only physical sales, as Nintendo continues to withhold digital data from industry reporting.
Console Sales Reflect Black Friday Shift; PS5 Pro Debuts Strong
On the hardware front, nearly 270,000 game consoles were sold across the UK in November, an impressive 85% increase over October. However, compared to November 2023, sales are down by a sharp 45%. Much like with game sales, this decline is largely due to the exclusion of Black Friday data in this year’s reporting window.
GfK insights suggest that Black Friday still delivered strong results for consoles, particularly for Sony’s PlayStation 5. The newly launched PS5 Pro proved to be a popular choice, accounting for 26% of all PS5 units sold during November. This strong start for the premium model underscores continued consumer demand for upgraded hardware despite economic pressures.
Accessories: DualSense Controllers Maintain Market Lead
The accessories market followed a similar trend, with 1.05 million units sold throughout November—a 58% increase from October but an 18% drop year-on-year. Once again, Black Friday’s absence from the November dataset distorts the comparison.
Sony’s DualSense controllers dominated the accessory charts, with the classic White variant leading sales and the Midnight Black edition closely following at No.2. A special release—the 30th Anniversary Limited Edition DualSense—also made a notable debut, securing the No.4 position.
Conclusion
While November 2024’s figures show a substantial drop in both software and hardware sales, the absence of Black Friday data and the lack of high-profile game releases played a significant role in shaping the results. Call of Duty continues to reign at the top, but titles like Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Mario & Luigi: Brothership highlight mixed fortunes for new releases. Strong hardware sales during Black Friday, particularly for the PS5 Pro, suggest that December’s figures may paint a more positive picture as the holiday season progresses.
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
2. EA Sports FC 25
3. Dragon Age: The Veilguard
4. Hogwarts Legacy
5. Grand Theft Auto 5
6. Super Mario Party Jamboree*
7. Horizon: Zero Dawn Remastered
8. Nintendo Switch Sports*
9. Super Mario Bros. Wonder*
10. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe (Nintendo)*
*Digital sales excluded for Nintendo titles.