Summary

• Major European gaming console sales slumped in 2024, attributed to market saturation and a dearth of new releases.
• The PlayStation 5 Pro, the only significant new console launch from major manufacturers, failed to reverse the overall sales decline.
• While total European gaming sales saw a modest 1% increase in 2024, this growth was fueled by a surge in digital sales, offsetting a sharp drop in physical game sales.

2024 proved a challenging year for video game console sales across significant parts of Europe, impacting major players like Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation. The region experienced a noticeable downturn in new console sales, although the broader gaming industry wasn't entirely without positive news.

The only new console released in 2024 by a major manufacturer was the PlayStation 5 Pro, a refresh of an existing console. Despite anticipation surrounding this more powerful Sony offering, it proved insufficient to prevent an overall decline in European console sales compared to previous years.

A Video Games Chronicle report revealed a significant 21% year-on-year drop in European console sales for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. PlayStation, potentially boosted by the PS5 Pro launch, fared best but still suffered a 20% sales decrease compared to 2023. The Nintendo Switch experienced a 15% decline, while Xbox Series X/S sales plummeted by a striking 48%. This downturn is largely attributed to market stagnation, with the original PS5 and Xbox Series consoles launching in 2020 and the Nintendo Switch in 2017. Further highlighting this trend, Amazon US data showed the Meta Quest 3S outsold all major gaming consoles in 2024, suggesting a broader stagnation in console sales across multiple territories.

Video Game Sales: A Shift and Stagnant Growth

Overall European gaming sales in 2024 reached 188.1 million units (PC and console), representing a modest 1% increase over 2023. While positive, this growth likely fell short of industry expectations. The data reveals a significant shift in consumer behavior, with digital game sales surging 15% to 131.6 million units, contrasting sharply with a 22% drop in physical game sales to 56.5 million units.

2025 is anticipated to be a more robust year for the European gaming market. The upcoming release of the Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to significantly boost sales. It's important to note that the reported console sales figures exclude several major European markets, including the UK, Germany, Netherlands, and Austria. Inclusion of these markets might alter the overall 2024 performance picture.

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