nintendo does not need a new model for the sales of its Switch persist, even six years after its launch. The Japanese manufacturer proves it once again thanks to a solid year 2022, as reported by Gamesindustry.biz which offers us a review of game and console sales for the year 2022 in Europe. Despite a decline in sales compared to 2021, the Switch still reigns supreme on our continent, while the study also reveals which were the best-selling games of 2022.
The best-selling games in Europe in 2022
Above all, it must be taken into account that 2022 is not necessarily an excellent year for video games in Europe. With 7.1% fewer games sold (159 million all platforms combined) during the year compared to 2021, 2022 seems to be a disappointing year, but it should be noted that the games that were released this year sold more than those that were released in 2021 at the time (we are talking about an increase of 16%). In sum, 2022 games attracted more people, but less audience interest in games released in previous years.
Among this year’s champions are, unsurprisingly, FIFA 23 who achieves better scores than FIFA 22 in its time (+ 3%), but also Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 which brushes aside the relative failure of call of duty vanguard (+ 73%!). Pokemon Scarlet and Purple also show higher results for the series, with 8% more sales compared to Pokémon Sword and Shield.
Here is the list of the 20 best-selling games in Europe for 2022 (both physical and dematerialized):
- FIFA 23 (EA)
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (Activision Blizzard)
- Elden Ring (Bandai Namco)
- Grand Theft Auto 5 (Rockstar)
- FIFA 22 (EA)
- Pokemon Legends Arceus (Nintendo)
- God of War Ragnarok (Sony)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Warner Bros.)
- Horizon: Forbidden West (Sony)
- Gran Turismo 7 (Sony)
- Mario Kart 8: Deluxe (Nintendo)
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar)
- Nintendo Switch Sports (Nintendo)
- Pokemon Purple (Nintendo)
- F1 22 (EA)
- Pokemon Scarlet (Nintendo)
- Minecraft: Switch Edition (Nintendo/Mojang)
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (Ubisoft)
- Kirby and the Forgotten World (Nintendo)
- Mario Party Superstars (Nintendo)
Note, however, that this ranking may seem incomplete, given that Ubisoft and Nintendo have not communicated their sales figures for digital games. Since we are a little chauvinistic, let us specify that France is a country which is particularly fond of Nintendo games, which should help the manufacturer to maintain good sales.
The French market is indeed the third most buoyant market in Europetrailed only by Germany and the United Kingdom, in second and first place respectively.
Only the Xbox Series is progressing
On the console side, 2022 is also a weaker year than 2021. If the Switch once again sits at the top of the podium, it shows -15% in sales from one year to the next.
The fall is even more spectacular for the PS5. Even with additional stocks, Sony’s latest console accounts for -35% of consoles sold, but still manages to retain its second place in the ranking. The Xbox Series is only third, but Microsoft can boast of showing the only numbers up, with 4.4% more consoles sold compared to 2021.
Proof of this is that Nintendo is not really playing in the same court as Sony and Microsoft and that there is not really any reason to rush for the release of another Switch or a new console.