Gaming revenue in the UK slowed down dramatically in 2024. Per information from the Entertainment Retailers Association sales of boxed games dropped nearly 35%.
As shared by the folks over at Video Games Chronicle. The gaming market in the United Kingdom slowed down when compared to previous years. This information was shared by the Entertainment Retailers Association.
This slump wasn’t only limited to physical sales either. The digital market was affected but only by a 1% drop. That’s a sharp contrast to the 35% drop of physical sales.
The UK has been a gaming powerhouse in recent years. So it only makes sense that things would eventually slow down before stabilising. The UK’s best-selling game of 2024 was EA Sports FC 25. It’ll be interesting to see how the market performs in 2025 as the Nintendo Switch 2 is slated for release and the recent release of the PlayStation 5 Pro will likely bolster sales.
It is worth mentioning that a decline in physical sales isn’t great for gamers. Physical ownership is important for game preservation. Digital games are convenient but they are sometimes removed from storefronts, additionally, when games are delisted there are often no official ways for future generations to enjoy them.
If you would like to find out about games that are being delisted by Xbox this February then click here. Emulation is a big part of game preservation especially when paired with digital libraries. Nintendo seems to be openly at war with emulation, click here to find out more.