Last week, the European Top 20 saw no newcomers, but Black Friday still brought significant sales boosts, mainly due to Sony. The company dominated the UK market, capturing 62% of all console sales during the week.
According to data from NielsenIQ and GSD, reported by The Game Business, console sales this holiday season were impressive. Revenue climbed by 14%, and unit sales increased by 7% compared to the previous year. This indicates a strong demand for gaming hardware.
The Nintendo Switch 2 accounted for 23% of total hardware sales. Meanwhile, the PS5 Pro had its best performance since launch. In contrast, the Xbox Series S and X together made up only 10% of the console sales. This could be due to a smaller discount of about 8%, compared to the PS5 Slim, which was reduced by 21–34%, depending on the model.
However, accessory sales took a hit, dropping by 17% compared to last year. Joypad sales fell by 27%, and headset sales dropped by 28%. Surprisingly, even though the Meta Quest 3 and PS5 VR headsets had their best sales weeks, overall VR headset sales still decreased by around 7%.
In an interesting commentary, former PlayStation head, Shuhei Yoshida, pointed out that Japanese studios face challenges when competing with the speed and scale of game production in China. He noted that Chinese developers can hire more staff who are willing to work long hours, giving them a clear edge. “It’s tough for Japanese studios to replicate that model,” Yoshida mentioned, highlighting potential legal hurdles that would arise from trying to mimic those practices.
This situation brings to light the broader challenges within the gaming industry. According to a recent Statista report, the global games market is expected to generate over $200 billion by 2023. This growth suggests that as competition intensifies, companies will need to innovate and rethink their strategies.
While it’s clear Sony and Nintendo are leading the charge, the future of gaming consoles and accessories remains uncertain. Observing industry trends and expert insights can provide a clearer picture of what’s to come.
