PlayStation 5 Takes Top Spot in European Monthly Console War, Knocking Off Nintendo Switch

Europe has a new gaming king.

The PlayStation 5 became the top-selling console in Europe during October 2022, beating out the Nintendo Switch for the first time since September 2021. This shift also marked the first time the Switch was not the top-selling console in Europe since October 2021.

The data, which doesn’t include the U.K or Germany, comes from ISFE, Europe’s Video Game Industry. The organization compiles the numbers under its Game Sales Data (GSD) umbrella.

GSD shows a 33% decline from the previous year. That said, Xbox Series X/S did see an increase, jumping 26% from last year. The data reflected 367,821 consoles were sold last month in Europe.

In the U.K., Growth for Knowledge reflected 175,000 consoles were sold in the country. The PlayStation 5 edged out Xbox Series X/S with the Switch in third. The Switch recently overtook Xbox One in all-time U.K. sales, eying the PlayStation 3 next on the list of the country’s best selling consoles.

The PlayStation 5’s past sales have been tied to a stock shortage but has seen steady improvement over recent months with Sony eying the holiday season for more sales.

**Image Credit:** Kerde Severin (via Unsplash)

Despite Sony’s previous inroads, the Switch has dominated sales worldwide. In Europe, it’s largely been king with a minor drop off in October 2021. This drop coincides with the launch of the Switch OLED version.

There’s a lot of interesting insights to glean from this data. For one, the Switch is no longer the only hand-held console on the market. The Steam Deck recently launched with a portable PC gaming options, but the console suffers from availability.

Another point is the Switch has been around since 2017 and its hardware is falling behind consoles such as the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

It’s also worth noting the PlayStation 5’s jump came ahead of the release of God of War Ragnarok’s worldwide release on Nov. 9, potentially prompting people to buy the console for the exclusive title.

While the PlayStation 5 is starting to take hold in Europe, North American sales show the console leading in August and September.

This data is always interesting because it can provide companies with an insight on where they should be placing their focus. It also showcases how successful a console is with the Switch finding a lot of success five years after release.

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