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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

Video game sales across Europe were down in September compared with the year before, according to the latest figures from GSD.

September 2022 was a five-week month, and as a result the numbers appear down 16% over September 2023. But this year was a four-week month. And so if we compare week 36 to week 39 (the like-for-like sales weeks), overall game sales are down just over 1%.

The main reason for the drop was this year's EA Sports FC 24. EA's new football game brand has got off to a strong start, but it is 10% down compared with the launch of FIFA 23 last year. It's worth noting that FIFA 23 had a particularly strong launch. If we compare EA Sports FC 24's launch with FIFA 22, and sales are actually only down 3.7%. EA had anticipated some initial decline as a result of the name change.

EA Sports FC 24 sold best in the UK, and was No.1 in all major European markets.

There was also a drop for the other big sports game of the month. NBA 2K24's opening three weeks on sale are down 17% compared with NBA 2K23.

The second biggest game of the month was also a new IP in the form of Xbox's Starfield. It was a strong launch for the game, which was also available day and date on Game Pass. However, the game couldn't unseat Forza Horizon 5 as Xbox's biggest game launch this geneation. Starfield's first four weeks on sale are 13% below what Forza Horizon 5 managed.

Of course, Game Pass data is unavailable and it's impossible to know how the game performed overall without this insight.

Starfield was No.2 in the UK and Germany. Whereas NBA 2K24 was No.2 in Italy and Spain. In France it was The Crew Motorfest, a game developed in the country, that claimed the No.2 spot.

Indeed, The Crew Motorfest (No.4) bucked the trend in September, with launch sales up over its predecessor. For its first three weeks on sale, Ubisoft's racing game posted a 6.5% sales improvement compared with the launch of 2018's The Crew 2.

The final new game we've not mentioned is Mortal Kombat 1, which is in No.5 spot across Europe. The Warner Bros game's first three week sales are down nearly 39% when compared to 2019's Mortal Kombat 11.

PS5 continues to dominate across Europe

Once again comparing the same four week sales period in September, sales of games consoles were up nearly 38% compared with the same four weeks in 2022. Not every European market is tracked (Germany and the UK is missing), but overall 416,000 games consoles were sold across the participating markets.

This was driven by PS5, with sales of Sony's console up 175% over the same period last year. There were still strong stock shortages of PS5 in September 2022.

Nintendo Switch sales were down 28% compared with last September, while Xbox Series S and X sales are down 35% for that four-week period.

In terms of accessories, 1.1 milion add-on products were sold in September, with Sony's PS5 DualSense Controller driving sales alongside the Xbox Series Wireless controller. There was also 1.11 million points cards/wallet cards sold over the four week period.

European GSD September 2023 Top 10 (Digital + Physical)​

Position	Title
1	EA Sports FC 24 (EA)
2	Starfield (Microsoft)
3	NBA 2K24 (2K Games)
4	The Crew Motorfest (Ubisoft)
5	Mortal Kombat 1 (Warner Bros)
6	Payday 3 (Plaion)
7	Grand Theft Auto 5 (Rockstar)
8	Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar)
9	Titanfall 2 (EA)
10	Hogwarts Legacy (Warner Bros)

Console and PC game sales fall in Europe during September | European Monthly Charts

Video game sales across Europe were down in September compared with the year before, according to the latest figures fr…

www.gamesindustry.biz

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

 

[Dick Jones]

Without Gamepass information it's hard to compare? Playing via Gamepass isn't a sale Christopher. You're welcome.

 

[Mownoc]

Ok.. yeah Xbox hardware is a disaster.

2022 had no releases. This year what should be Microsoft's biggest console exclusive in many years has just not moved many xbox's.

USA up less than 10% and EU DOWN 35% in Starfields launch month. Unbelievable.

The entire point of keeping games exclusive is to move hardware. At this point why bother?

Edit: I did put a bit in saying Xbox was only 16% down if we adjust for five Vs four weeks but no, they are already comparing the same four week period.

 

[lh032]

Again, onederful sales for PS5 in europe

 

[ByWatterson]

If the mission was to boost console sales, then uh....Starfailed.

I'll see myself out.

 

[killatopak]

I don’t know what’s surprising about software sales being down compared to last year. We just got out of the pandemic. People actually spend more on activities they can do outside their home now.

 

[I Love Rock 'n' Roll]

I told you so… no one gives a sh*t about XBOX in Europe since last gen. Starfield did okey this month thanks to pc gamers it seems.

« This was driven by PS5, with sales of Sony's console up 175% over the same period last year. There were still strong stock shortages of PS5 in September 2022.

Nintendo Switch sales were down 28% compared with last September, while Xbox Series S and X sales are down 35% for that four-week period. »

 

[H-I-M]

Xbox is LAST and the sales are DOWN on Starfield's launch month ?
If that's not ALARMING and CONCERNING...

 

[Elios83]

Basically the same bad signals for Xbox we could already see in the NPD results but amplified given it's not their main market.

 

[Bernardougf]

Starfield doing well and xbox tanking... thats PC games day one for you ... go ahead sony do that and also kill your console

 

[MrTired]

Was September 22 particularly strong for Xbox Series consoles. I'm baffled and trying to workout why it's down so much when software release last year was none existent for the platform.

Starfield had an impact in the US so either Europe didn't take to the game as much, access it through PC or it did actually have an impact on hardware and the Xbox Series consoles would actually have been down even more without the games release which is mad to think.

Also goes to show how big Forza Horizon brand has grown. For Starfield to not be able to match its performance (granted Starfield is only released on the current generation).

 

[H-I-M]

Starfield had an impact in the US so either Europe didn't take to the game as much, access it through PC or it did actually have an impact on hardware and the Xbox Series consoles would actually have been down even more without the games release which is mad to think.

We know that Starfield BARELY had any impact in the US, which is supposed to be Microsoft's biggest market. So no wonder it had NO impact in Europe.

From the revenue, it seems PS5 was slightly down from 494K last September and XBS was slightly up from 288K last september

September Estimation
PS5 - 480K
XBS - 300K

 

[Ronin_7]

Europe and Asia Xbox is pretty much irrelevant.

Hardware wise it's over.

 

[jm89]

2027 isn't far off.

I'm just sayin.

 

[yazenov]

"Xbox Series S and X sales are down 35% for that four-week period"​

Down even after launching Starfield, one of the biggest Xbox games in the generation. Xbox is dead outside the US. It's game over.

 

[Horseganador]

-PS5 +175%
-Switch -28%
-Xbox Series -35% Starfield month

 

[Gudji]

Time to buy another publisher.

 

[MisterXDTV]

"See? We can't compete, your Honor!"

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

The next publishers will be easily approved by EU.

Though in EU is PC is quite strong and as Xbox also releases day 1 on PC, the result is not really surprised.

 

[Darkness_Arises]

Starfield doing well and xbox tanking... thats PC games day one for you ... go ahead sony do that and also kill your console

Despite buying a purple dualsense controller earlier on sale, I am seriously thinking about not buying a PS5 and simply going with a Steam Deck this gen. I have an insane backlog on Steam. Further, steam is getting complete versions of PS games 2 years later at a cheaper rate (thanks to keys and regional pricing). I can actually emulate some games that I absolutely love like R&C future, Folklore, Resistance, etc. I will spend much lesser and probably pay more thanks to the portability. I don't mind the lower graphics.

MS should have launched a portable console instead of the S, I have no idea who is the target audience for the S. If I was strapped for cash I would simply save some more and go for the discless PS5, nobody even sells 1080p TVs anymore.

 

[Krieger]

Microsoft execs: "And this is what we spent $7 billion dollars for?"

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

From Install Base:

	PS5	NSW	XBS
Jan	+202	-11	-32
Feb	+400	-28	+13
Mar	+400+	-19	-13
Q1	+369	-18	-10
Apr	+144	+38	+19
May	+81	+39	-16
June	+116	-2.3	-0.8
July	+244	-9	??
August	+197	+1	-12
Sept	+175	-25	-35

 

[yazenov]

Basically the bad signals for Xbox we could already see in the NPD results but amplified given it's not their main market.

Those folk in the NPD thread don't know the reality of MS's situation outside the US. Looking at the whole picture (worldwide) the Xbox is in a really dire situation.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Well, that settles the conversations in the NPD Circana thread.

Even Forza Horizon 5 is outselling Starfield.

And Xbox had the worst year in 2022 and the best year in 2023. Yet sales in September 2023 are -35% down compared to 2022.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Jim Ryan before his retirement party:

 

[X-Wing]

Hardware sales won’t matter for Microsoft, their future resides in the cloud.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Hardware sales won’t matter for Microsoft, their future resides in the cloud.

 

[yazenov]

They can still release their games on consoles after they go 3rd party like SEGA

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

I'm surprised EA Football is not more down, seems people are not that dumb.

As for Xbox, this is confirmation that it's completely dead in Europe. Outside of making COD, FIFA or GTA6 exclusive, nothing can boost their hardware over PS5/Switch 2. They should focus completely on PC, or ditch the Xbox branding.

 

[Flutta]

 

[FatallyYours]

We havnt factored in all that engagement into the xbox numbers though, I bet it works out about even if you account for that

 

[MisterXDTV]

Hardware sales won’t matter for Microsoft, their future resides in the cloud.

They don't care about software sales as well??

 

[shaddam]

I am waiting for articles where it is explained that this is concerning for sony

 

[yazenov]

XBS: -35%
NSW: -25%

How in the hell does a 7-year-old console manage to decline less than a 3-year-old console (in the launch month of their biggest game) ?

 

[ByWatterson]

From Install Base:

	PS5	NSW	XBS
Jan	+202	-11	-32
Feb	+400	-28	+13
Mar	+400+	-19	-13
Q1	+369	-18	-10
Apr	+144	+38	+19
May	+81	+39	-16
June	+116	-2.3	-0.8
July	+244	-9	??
August	+197	+1	-12
Sept	+175	-25	-35

Jesus.

Microsoft as a hardware platform holder just makes less and less sense over time.

 

[Porticus]

They don't care about software sales as well??

At some point they will start to sell actual clouds, it will be an important metric for them.

 

[MisterXDTV]

Jesus.

Microsoft as a hardware platform holder just makes less and less sense over time.

Don't worry they are pivoting to STEAM PC gamers.... LOL

Console hardware and software sales don't matter now....

 

[X-Wing]

They don't care about software sales as well??

Did they care about MS Office sales? Xbox wil just follow the same transition to services path as the rest of their products have.

 

[MrTired]

We know that Starfield BARELY had any impact in the US, which is supposed to be Microsoft's biggest market. So no wonder it had NO impact in Europe.

You haven't taken into account that Xbox hardware has been 10% you for the first half of the year according to Mat Piscatella. So if you take that into account then you can see how Starfield clear had impact on hardware.

 

[TheTony316]

I told you so… no one gives a sh*t about XBOX in Europe since last gen. Starfield did okey this month thanks to pc gamers it seems.

« This was driven by PS5, with sales of Sony's console up 175% over the same period last year. There were still strong stock shortages of PS5 in September 2022.

Nintendo Switch sales were down 28% compared with last September, while Xbox Series S and X sales are down 35% for that four-week period. »

Not since last gen. People in Europe didn't even care about the 360 all that much. UK was the only exception. The PS3 was outselling the 360 since launch and passed it in total sales by 2008. That was with a much higher price tag and launching over a year later.

 

[King Dazzar]

I'm sure Phil with Cole & Co will spin this more and more as PC being Xbox too as time goes on. Wait to see the figures once the PS5 Pro releases to zero response from MS!

 

[NEbeast]

I wonder how everyone doing victory laps in the US thread are going to spin this. People are in there praising single digit % increases when the majority of them have been saying all year that starfield would crush playstation in September. Without PC sales xbox would be fucked this gen.

 

[phaedrus]

2027 isn't far off.

I'm just sayin.

 

[Heisenberg007]

@X-Wing - Did they care about MS Office sales? Xbox wil just follow the same transition to services path as the rest of their products have.

If they did not care about console sales, why did they buy and make these games console exclusives?

 

[Coulomb_Barrier]

I am waiting for articles where it is explained that this is concerning for sony

Forbes Miyazuki article:

"Sony concerned with European market slow sales, according to inside sources"

 

[MisterXDTV]

If they did not care about console sales, why did they buy and make these games console exclusives?

Exactly, just go third-party like any other publisher... They don't need a console (actually TWO consoles) and a store

 

[Tiago Rodrigues]

Jesus…at this point are Series consoles even selling 10M units WW this year?
That is opposed to PS5 25M.

This is the 3rd year. With a big exclusive. And a console sku on sale constantly for less than 300€.

Why even make consoles at this point when people don’t care like this?

 

[Heisenberg007]

Jesus…at this point are Series consoles even selling 10M units WW this year?
That is opposed to PS5 25M.

This is the 3rd year. With a big exclusive. And a console sku on sale constantly for less than 300€.

Why even make consoles at this point when people don’t care like this?

At this point? At no point did Xbox Series consoles sold 10M annual units WW this generation.

Their average (until the end of 2022) has been roughly 8.88 million units per year. And it has been down YoY since Jan 2023, so it is now averaging more like ~7.5 million units in 2023.

 

[Mephisto40]

I honestly think next gen is going to be the last time we see an xbox console