Latest Trends in United Kingdom Video Game Sales 2024

In the first half of 2024 , the United Kingdom witnessed a significant drop in video game sales . The UK experienced a 30 % decrease in video game sales , with both physical and digital sales declining by 29.4 % . This decline in sales was not unique to the UK , as Europe also saw a decrease in console purchases , particularly for Xbox . The Entertainment Retailers Association reported that physical game sales decreased by 40 % year - over - year to 111.7 million , while digital downloads dropped by 23 % to 263.9 million . Despite the drop in video game sales , they still outperformed music sales , which rose by 7.9 % year - over - year to 163.8 million.

One of the main factors contributing to the decline in video game sales is the high cost of games , making them unaffordable for many consumers . Additionally , the lack of major game releases in the first half of 2024 compared to the previous year also impacted sales . However , there is optimism for the second half of the year , as several highly anticipated games are set to be released , including Silent Hill 2 remake , Super Mario Party Jamboree , Call of Duty : Black Ops 6 , and Assassin 's Creed Shadows . These blockbuster releases are expected to boost video game sales in the coming months.

Despite the challenges faced by the video game industry , there are positive trends and predictions for the future . According to PwC , the games market revenue is expected to surpass 30 billion by 2028 , with mobile gaming accounting for over 75 % of the total revenue . Games like Little Kitty , Big City have seen success , with 2 million players on Game Pass and around 500k copies sold between Steam and Switch . Arma 3 also experienced a surge in sales , selling over 500k copies during the Steam Summer Sale and breaking its record for most units sold in one day . Forza Horizon 5 has been a standout success , attracting a whopping 40 million players and outperforming other Xbox first - party games.

In the competitive landscape of the gaming industry , Tencent leads mobile publishers by revenue in the first half of 2024 , with other companies like Scopely , miHoYo , and Supercell also ranking in the top 10 . Valve , despite employing only 336 people in 2021 , spent over 44 million on gross salaries . GameMaker saw a 63 % surge in new users aged 13 - 17 after making its engine free for non - commercial use . As the gaming market continues to evolve , developers must be prepared to answer questions from investors , as outlined in a guide from Narwhal Accelerator . With these trends and developments , the future of the gaming industry remains promising , despite the challenges faced in the present.