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Nintendo Switch Sports is Europe's biggest game of May | European Market Report

reksveks

Member
Over 7.9 million digital and physical games were sold across Europe, according to GSD.

It's a big drop of 29% compared with April, and down 21% compared with May 2021 (note: 2022 includes digital numbers for Bethesda and Gearbox) . The past four weeks has been severly lacking in new game releases, with not a single new release in the Top 20.

Almost 4.5 million of the games sold last month were via digital download stores.

Nintendo Switch Sports was No.1, purely based on the game's physical sales alone (Nintendo does not share digital figures). The game has been a particular hit in France and Germany, with the two countries representing over half of all copies sold across Europe. The game was also No.1 in Spain and Italy, whereas in the UK it was Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga at No.1 (to check out the UK report, click here).

Console supply issues ease

In terms of hardware, over 297,000 games machines were sold via tracked European countries (German and UK data is not included, for the UK market report click here). That's a drop of almost 3% over April and 3% lower compared with May last year.

New console sales (PS5 and Xbox Series X and S) in May 2022 across tracked European markets are higher by 26% month-on-month as supply constraints began to ease. For Nintendo Switch, sales were almost identical between May 2022 and May 2021, around the 135,000 mark.

So far this year the PS5 has come off worse. Sales for the PS5 in the first five months of 2022 are lower by half compared to this time last year. This is in comparison to the Xbox Series X and S, which has sold roughly the same numbers of units in 2022 compared with 2021. Meanwhile, Nintendo Switch has seen a 20% growth in unit sales year-on-year.

Accessories market slips slightly

Just over 992,000 accessories and toys-to-life products were sold across Europe during May, a drop of 14% over the same period last year, and 8% down compared with April.

The PS5 DualSense controller remains No.1, ahead of the PS4 DualShock controller.

In terms of points cards, 924,000 cards were sold at retail last month, a drop of 7% over last year and 11% down over April.

European GSD May 2022 Top 20 Games (Digital + Physical)​

PositionTitle
1Nintendo Switch Sports (Nintendo)*
2FIFA 22 (EA)
3Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Warner Bros)
4Grand Theft Auto 5 (Rockstar)
5Elden Ring (Bandai Namco)
6NBA 2K22 (2K Games)
7Horizon Forbidden West (Sony)
8Mario Kart 8: Deluxe (Nintendo)*
9Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar)
10Gran Turismo 7 (Sony)
11Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Nintendo)*
12Pokémon Legends: Arceus (Nintendo)*
13Minecraft: Switch Edition (Mojang)
14Assassin's Creed Valhalla (Ubisoft)
15Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (EA)
16Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Nintendo)*
17Far Cry 6 (Ubisoft)
18Mario Party Superstars (Nintendo)*
19Hearts of Iron IV (Paradox)
20The Sims 4 (EA)
* Digital data unavailable

Source: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/artic...es-biggest-game-of-may-european-market-report

Will try and get the YoY table updated.
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
Ps5 with a huge drop in numbers this year. I'm sure they are going to pull it back in the second half of the year with their comments though.

Makes it obvious why more PC support is coming, and thick and fast. These games ain't cheap.
 

Rat Rage

Member
Switch Sports fucking sucks! I can't believe Nintendo - of all developers - didn't get the motion controls right this time. Especially bowling's motion controls are way less sophisticated than the motion controls in Wii Sports Resort.

I wonder why that is? It can't be the joycons, right? Aren't they supposed to have the same motion capabilities as the Wii motion plus remotes?

Seriously, Nintendo should be ashamed.
 

Woopah

Member
Really interesting that Switch is up 20% year on year in continental Europe, but down 20% year on year in the UK.
 

Polygonal_Sprite

Gold Member
Switch Sports fucking sucks! I can't believe Nintendo - of all developers - didn't get the motion controls right this time. Especially bowling's motion controls are way less sophisticated than the motion controls in Wii Sports Resort.

I wonder why that is? It can't be the joycons, right? Aren't they supposed to have the same motion capabilities as the Wii motion plus remotes?

Seriously, Nintendo should be ashamed.
Different type of motion control they use gyro instead of IR to sensor bar so less precise.
 

Daytonabot

Banned
I can't decide if this or voting to create the Fourth Reich is a bigger reason not to trust mainland Europe.
 
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SmokedMeat

Gamer™
I thought it stunk overall. Even bowling, which was fun on Wii sucked. Unless you get an unlucky split, it’s impossible to not at least pick up a spare every single frame.
Considering how lean the entire package is, along with the laziest customization I’ve ever seen in a game - I’m convinced Nintendo fans will lap up anything with their branding on it.

No wonder Nintendo puts little effort into games like this.
 

Astral Dog

Member
I thought it stunk overall. Even bowling, which was fun on Wii sucked. Unless you get an unlucky split, it’s impossible to not at least pick up a spare every single frame.
Considering how lean the entire package is, along with the laziest customization I’ve ever seen in a game - I’m convinced Nintendo fans will lap up anything with their branding on it.

No wonder Nintendo puts little effort into games like this.
I haven't played it(i hear from some sources the controls are better than the previous Wii Sports, from others that they are worse)

But the reason they can get away with it, is simply because there is no other motion controlled sports game around, there is no equivalent since no one outside Nintendo uses these type of controls anymore, obviously there is a market for it(just like Ring Fit Adventure)
 
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Spukc

always chasing the next thrill
bought it day one.. honestly this game is pretty bad dude..
i also think my steam deck killed it for me.

i just don't care anymore
 

Oberstein

Member
People thought it would be a flop... but for once, I wish they were right. Nintendo made the minimum effort for this game...
 

Lognor

Banned
People thought it would be a flop... but for once, I wish they were right. Nintendo made the minimum effort for this game...
Same with the soccer game they just released. What is it with Nintendo and a lack of content in their sports titles?
 

SmokedMeat

Gamer™
I haven't played it(i hear from some sources the controls are better than the previous Wii Sports, from others that they are worse)

But the reason they can get away with it, is simply because there is no other motion controlled sports game around, there is no equivalent since no one outside Nintendo uses these type of controls anymore, obviously there is a market for it(just like Ring Fit Adventure)

VR games do, but outside of those it’s just Nintendo. I don’t believe the demand for the motion games in this very limited package is really that high. The selection available is really not very exciting. I believe people are buying for the brand - and nostalgia.
My feeling is I’d rather have nothing, then pay $50 for a half assed “sports” game.

Ring Fit Adventure was a very cool concept and executed well. Sports is just a low effort cash in at the traditional Nintendo premium price.
 
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Melon Husk

Member
Took them long enough, Switch Sports should have been a launch title, geez.

Switch is as big of a success as Wii but I feel like Nintendo put in a lot more effort towards software in the Wii era.
 
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