Top 10 best-selling video games in Europe in 2024

The European video game market experienced a slight 1% uptick in 2024, marking a year of mixed performance for the industry. According to GSD data shared with VGC, a total of 188.1 million PC and console games were sold across the continent. Despite this modest growth, shifts in digital and physical game sales highlighted evolving consumer preferences.

Digital Dominance and Physical Decline

Digital sales surged in 2024, with 131.6 million games sold—a robust 15% increase compared to 2023. In stark contrast, physical game sales plummeted by 22%, accounting for just 56.5 million units. This clear trend toward digital purchasing continues to reshape the retail landscape for games.

Top Performers: EA Sports FC 25 and Call of Duty

EA Sports FC 25 claimed the crown as Europe’s best-selling game of 2024, despite a 5% dip in sales compared to its predecessor, FC 24. Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 secured second place, achieving a 9% increase in launch sales over Modern Warfare 3 from 2023—a notable achievement given its late-year release.

Sony’s Helldivers 2 emerged as the most successful new IP, debuting at sixth place. However, new releases collectively represented only 27% of total sales, down from 34% in 2023. Meanwhile, legacy titles like Fallout 4 saw a remarkable resurgence, climbing to 19th place with sales skyrocketing 183%, fueled by the buzz around Amazon’s adaptation and aggressive discounting.

Console Sales Drop Across the Board

The hardware market faced significant challenges, with console sales declining 21% overall. Xbox Series X|S bore the brunt of this downturn, suffering a staggering 48% drop. Despite leading the market, PlayStation 5 sales fell by 20%, while Nintendo Switch sales declined 15% in its eighth year on the market.