European Debut Defies Critics and Climbs Sales Charts Amid Market Slowdown

This article examines the remarkable performance and market impact of a highly anticipated video game release during the early months of 2025. The discussion explores its sales success, challenges, and how it compares with other popular titles in Europe.

The game has enjoyed robust sales since its launch, particularly in Europe where it has earned the status of the top-selling new release for the year. Even though it has faced an online campaign designed to diminish its reputation and persistent criticism over claims of cultural insensitivity toward Japanese traditions, its market numbers remain impressive.

Data from a leading industry analysis source indicates that the title outperformed several competitors this year. The list of rivals includes:

• Monster Hunter Wilds
• Split Fiction
• Mario Kart World
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II

So far this year, sales of PC and console games in Europe have reached 71 million units, which represents a 6% decline compared to 2024. Despite this overall slump, the new game has achieved the distinction of the best-selling debut game in the region. However, when it comes to overall titles, a familiar favorite still leads the charts. EA Sports FC 25 has maintained its top position in Europe, even though it was released the previous year.

One prominent game, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, does not appear in the current industry report. This exclusion is attributed to the publisher not sharing its data with the research firm that compiled the report.