Last month, Nintendo saw a significant increase in sales of video games, hardware, and accessories across Europe. This remarkable growth was largely driven by the highly anticipated release of "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom."
With this, the Nintendo Switch is positioned once again at the top spot of the best-selling consoles in the region.
Nintendo Switch Tops Europe Game Sales Chart
Nintendo Switch reclaimed the top spot from the PlayStation (PS5) in May, becoming Europe's number-one console once again, according to Games Industry.biz.
The release of "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" played a significant role in driving Switch sales, which saw an impressive increase of over 39% compared to the previous year.
Although the PS5 settled for the second position, it remains a strong competitor across Europe, with an 81% increase in sales compared to May 2022. Xbox Series S and X secured the third position, with sales down 16% compared to May last year.
Overall, a total of 429,000 game consoles were sold in the tracked European markets, marking a 40% rise compared to the previous year. Notably, data from Germany and the UK are not included in these figures. For specific UK hardware data, please refer to the appropriate source.
'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom's' Success in Europe
According to the latest data from GSD, approximately 10.6 million digital and physical games were sold throughout Europe during that period. This represents a substantial 33% increase in sales compared to May 2022, with "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" emerging as the standout success, outselling the second-ranked game, Hogwarts Legacy, by more than 2.5 times.
Within just three weeks of its release, Zelda secured the position of the third best-selling game of the year across Europe, trailing only behind "FIFA 23" by EA and "Hogwarts Legacy" by Warner Bros.
It's important to note that Nintendo does not disclose digital download data, unlike EA and Warner Bros. Therefore, if we consider purely physical retail sales, Zelda takes the lead as the top game of the year across European markets.
Hogwarts Legacy claimed the second spot, experiencing a significant 321% increase in sales compared to the previous month. This spike can be attributed to the release of the game on the PS4 and Xbox One platforms. In May, 71.5% of Hogwarts Legacy sales were on PS4, while 11.7% were on Xbox One. The remaining sales came from current-generation systems and PCs.
Among the top 20 games, the only other new release was "Lego 2K Drive", ranking at number 19.
Read also: 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom': Players Can Now Build a Functioning Gundam Mech Suit
Switch Pro Controller Racks Up Sales Along With Zelda Amiibo
In the realm of peripherals and add-on products, approximately 1.3 million accessories and toys-to-life figures were sold across Europe last month, representing a significant 30% year-on-year increase.
The PS5 DualSense controller retained its position as the top-selling accessory, followed by the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. The Switch Pro Controller experienced a remarkable 530% boost in sales following the release of "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom." Additionally, the special edition Zelda Pro Controller sold out globally last month.
Speaking of Zelda, the Tears of the Kingdom Amiibo, released alongside the game, ranked as the fifth best-selling accessory of the month. The Nintendo Switch OLED Carry Case, featuring a Zelda version, debuted at number 10.
Lastly, sales of points cards and wallets totaled 1.35 million units last month, representing a slight increase of 2.7% compared to May 2022. The PlayStation Store Wallet Top-Up Card maintained its position as the best-selling item in this category.
Meanwhile, you can score huge discounts on more than 1,500 games in Nintendo eShop Summer Sale in Europe, according to Nintendo Life.
