UK game spending experienced a significant decline of 29.4 percent in the first half of 2024, contrasting with the growth seen in music and video sales during the same period. According to the Digital Entertainment and Retail Association (ERA), physical game sales dropped by 40 percent to £111.7m, while digital download sales also fell by 23 percent to £236.9m.
The decline in game sales has been attributed to a ‘soft new release schedule’ by the ERA’s latest report. Kim Bayley, the ERA boss, expressed optimism for a more robust second half of the year, traditionally known for blockbuster releases.
Notable launches in the first half of 2023, such as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for Nintendo Switch, were missing in the first six months of 2024. Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth for PlayStation 5 stood out as one of the prominent launches, although its sales did not match its predecessor.
However, the gaming industry anticipates a lineup of blockbuster releases in the latter half of 2024, including titles like Star Wars Outlaws in August, EA Sports FC 25, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom in September, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, and Assassin’s Creed Shadows in October, along with Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
On the other hand, music sales, encompassing vinyl, CD, and downloads, saw a growth of 7.9 percent, driven by events like Record Store Day and the release of Taylor Swift’s breakup album ‘The Tortured Poets Department,’ featuring the lead single ‘Fortnight.’ Video sales also experienced growth, despite a decline in physical media sales, offset by an increase in video downloads and digital sales.
Although video game sales in the UK dropped by 29.4 percent year-on-year, the music and video sectors showed positive growth trends during the same period.
