Results Get!
Nintendo France shares Super Mario Movie, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Zelda: TotK sales and more
France loves their Nintendo
We often hear about game sales in regions like the United States, the UK and Japan, but what about other parts of the world? While we may not get the details as often, sometimes sales data and more trickles in, and that’s the case today for France.
Philippe Lavoué, President of Nintendo France, recently let loose with a number of sales updates and more for Nintendo, and we’ve got the complete breakdown. We’ve said a few times in the past that Nintendo is quite popular in France, and this latest round of data only furthers that notion.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
- sold 7.3 million tickets
- had an impact on Mario game sales, which topped 2.7 million units combined in 2023
- this includes 383k units for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, 153k units for Mario Party Superstars, and 132k units for New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- 740k physical units
- the best launch ever for a Mario game in France
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- 500k units sold during launch week
- 968k physical units sold in 2023
Switch
- 855k units sold in 2023, the lowest yearly sales for Switch in the region
- Switch sold 987k units in 2022 for comparison
European game industry sales for Dec. 2023 and full-year revealed
Switch slips, but remains strong
January brings with it a deluge of data to break down for last year. Over in Europe, the numbers have been crunched and we finally have a look at what closed out the year on top, as well as the biggest games and hardware for 2023 in general. First up, let’s take a look at the top 10 software for Dec. 2023. Please remember that Nintendo doesn’t report digital data, so any first-party title on the list only reflects physical sales.
We’ve also got some more specific stats on software overall, as well as details on individual titles:
- 26.6 million PC and Console games were sold across Europe in December
- sales improved 3.6% compared with the same period in 2022
- EA Sports FC 24 sales are down 11.5% compared with FIFA 23 in December 2022
Finally, we’ve got some hardware stats for December 2023 as well:
- 1.27 million consoles were sold across tracked European markets during December
- this is up nearly 16% up over the same four-week period in 2022
- PS5 was #1 and sales grew 66% year-on-year
- Switch was #2 and sales fell 7% compared with December 2022
- Xbox Series S and X were #3 and sales fell 19% year-on-year
Moving on, we also have the complete breakdown of game industry sales in Europe for all of 2023. Let’s kick off that round of data with the top 20 software titles. Just as we said above, Nintendo doesn’t report digital data, so any first-party title on the list only reflects physical sales.
Just as we did for December, here’s the breakdown of software sales specifics for the whole of 2023 in Europe:
- 182 million PC and console games were sold across Europe in 2023
- this is a rise of 1.7% over the year before
- EA Sports FC 24 sold 9% fewer units in 2023 compared with FIFA 23 in 2022
- with Hogwarts Legacy, outside of EA football games, no game has sold this many units in a calendar year since these charts began back in 2017
- in the top 100 you’ll find NBA 2K24 (No.33), Mortal Kombat 1 (No.53), and Just Dance 2024 (No.82)
- PC was No.1 in terms of game sales, ahead of PS5 (No.2), Switch (No.3), PS4 (No.4) and Xbox Series S and X (No.5).
- Switch and PS4 were the only platforms to post a drop in game sales year-on-yea
- the biggest European market for games was the UK, ahead of Germany (No.2), France (No.3), Spain (No.4) and Italy (No.5).
Finally, we have the details on hardware sales across Europe for 2023 as well:
- 7.4 million video game consoles were sold in 2023, which is a rise of nearly 42% year-over-year
- PS5 was #1 and saw a 177% increase in sales year-on-year
- Switch was #2 and saw a dip of 10% over the year before
- Xbox Series X and S were #3 and saw a drop of 18% over the year before
European hardware/software sales for October 2023
Switch performance continues to impress
The latest gaming sales data for Europe have come in, and it gives us a look at how things went down in October of 2023. Let’s kick things off with the top 10 software sales of the month. Please note that Nintendo titles mentioned in the top 10 do not include digital sales, while other titles do.
Next, we have some general info on software and industry-wide sales for the month as well.
- 10.21 million games were sold across Europe in Oct. 2023, a slight drop of 2.3% year-on-year
- sales of EA Sports FC 24 were 10% lower than last year’s FIFA 23
- Super Mario Bros Wonder sales were double Super Mario Odyssey
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder sales were 59% bigger than Super Mario 3D All-Stars
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder sales were nearly 53% bigger than Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
- Super Mario Bros Wonder is the fastest selling Super Mario game in Europe
- New titles charting in the top 40 in Oct. 2023 include Metal Gear Sold: Master Collection Volume 1 (No.16), EA Sports UFC 5 (No.17), Detective Pikachu Returns (No.32), and Sonic Superstars (No.33)
- EA Sports FC 24 was No.1 in most markets
- the second best-selling game of October in France is Super Mario Bros Wonder
- with peripherals and accessories, 1.14 million products were sold across tracked markets (down 3.6% year-on-year), while wallet/point card sales are down 4% to 969,818 units sold
Finally, we have data on the hardware side of things.
- PS5 was #1, with sales up 143% over Oct. 2022
- Switch was #2 despite a 20% drop year-on-year
- Xbox was #3, with sales down 52% year-on-year
- Switch sales are up 10% from September
With Nintendo, there are two ways to know that the holiday season draws near; commercials and bundles. Nintendo always cranks up both when we inch ever-closer to Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Christmas, and 2023 is no different.
Nintendo has been putting out a steady stream of commercials this year already, but they’re going into overdrive to make sure everyone is thinking about Nintendo during the gift-giving season. Take France for example, where Nintendo has released a staggering 14 commercials in the first week of November alone!
The video above compiles the various Switch commercials Nintendo has shared in France this month, and it’s a who’s who of hardware bundles and longtail sellers. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Nintendo Switch Sports, you name it. Nintendo knows the games that move big during the holidays, and they’re giving them plenty of time in the spotlight!
Eiji Aonuma receives 'Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters' honor from France's Minister of Culture
Congrats to Aonuma!
Nintendo’s Eiji Aonuma, the man who’s been spearheading the Zelda series for decades now, has just received a major accolade from the Minister of Culture in France.
Eiji Aonuma has now earned the accolade of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters from the Minister of Culture in France. The purpose of this honor is to recognize significant contributions to the arts, literature, or the propagation of these fields. To be considered for the award, French government guidelines stipulate that citizens of France must be at least thirty years old, respect French civil law, and must have “significantly contributed to the enrichment of the French cultural inheritance”.
Eiji Aonuma now stands alongside Shigeru Miyamoto, Michel Ancel and Peter Molyneux as game creators who have been recognized as a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters. There will be an official presentation ceremony for this honor, although the date hasn’t been revealed yet.
Company of Heroes Collection marches onto Switch today
Fall in, soldier
Developed by Feral Interactive, the military masterpiece Company of Heroes will be launching on Nintendo Switch today as a single collection containing the base game and both expansions.
Company of Heroes Collection marks the console debut of the game that redefined real-time strategy, bringing with it epic campaigns based on the liberation of France by Allied forces in World War II. From the daring beach assaults of D-Day and on into the Battle of Normandy, players will command both Allied and Axis forces in an action-packed offering which includes both the base game and its two expansions — Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valor — in one storming package.
With a bespoke user interface and controls designed for play on Nintendo Switch, the full battlefield will be under the player’s command. Intense tactical combat takes place across 41 squad-based missions, with moment-to-moment encounters shaping the course of each battle. A customizable Skirmish mode is also included, with unique factions, multiple game modes and a wealth of maps, offering enormous replayability and rewarding bold experimentation.
Company of Heroes Collection launches for Nintendo Switch this autumn. Further communications will be relayed in due course. Note: Company of Heroes Collection will be single-player only at launch, with multiplayer planned for a post-release update.
Nintendo European Championships 2023 winners crowned
Well-deserved wins
The ink has been splattered, the finish line crossed. The Nintendo European Championships 2023 have come to a close, and the winners from Germany and France have earned their spot in the World Championships at Nintendo Live 2024 in Tokyo Jan. 2024.
On the Splatoon 3 side of things, the battles were incredibly tense, with plenty of overtime situations and come-from-behind moments. Clinching the final win was Germany’s team KaiZer, which consists of captain Isik, Zerr[eZ], flyzero, and four-time German champion and former world championship runner-up WMajin.
Over in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, 24 players battled it out for that one spot at Nintendo Live 2024. The races were fast and furious, with hardly a safe spot on the track at any given moment. When the engines stopped and the dust settled, it was French player Thomas who topped the leaderboard with 101 points, a full 7 points ahead of second place.
It’s clear that Nintendo Live 2024 is going to have some of the most intense Splatoon 3 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe battles we’ve seen yet, making these tournaments a must-watch event!
Do You NintenKnow: October 2023
Test your trivia might!
Below is a set of clues for games that have a notable US release date anniversary (5, 10, 15, etc.) in the current month. See if you can figure out the title before clicking the blurred image to find out if you were correct! Head down to the comments when you’re finished and reminisce about the personal memories that were dredged up. Remember that these are going by the release date in the United States. Have fun!
Developed by Feral Interactive, the military masterpiece Company of Heroes will be launching on Nintendo Switch Oct. 12th, 2023 as a single collection containing the base game and both expansions. You can get a fresh look at this package via the new trailer above.
Company of Heroes Collection marks the console debut of the game that redefined real-time strategy, bringing with it epic campaigns based on the liberation of France by Allied forces in World War II. From the daring beach assaults of D-Day and on into the Battle of Normandy, players will command both Allied and Axis forces in an action-packed offering which includes both the base game and its two expansions — Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valor — in one storming package.
With a bespoke user interface and controls designed for play on Nintendo Switch, the full battlefield will be under the player’s command. Intense tactical combat takes place across 41 squad-based missions, with moment-to-moment encounters shaping the course of each battle. A customizable Skirmish mode is also included, with unique factions, multiple game modes and a wealth of maps, offering enormous replayability and rewarding bold experimentation.
Company of Heroes Collection launches for Nintendo Switch this autumn. Further communications will be relayed in due course. Note: Company of Heroes Collection will be single-player only at launch, with multiplayer planned for a post-release update.
Omega 6: The Video Game appearing at TGS 2023, confirmed for localization in 2024
From the legendary Takaya Imamura
Clear River Games, a video game publisher specializing in classic and retro games and part of Embracer Freemode, today announced
Omega 6 The Video Game, a new adventure game with 16-Bit styling, based on the manga by former Nintendo art director, Takaya Imamura. Expected for release in 2024, Omega 6 The Video Game will debut on the show floor of the Tokyo Game Show 2023, courtesy of publishing partner, City Connection.
Based on the sci-fi comic first introduced in 2022 by France’s Omake Books, Omega 6 The Video Game features a brand new story, taking players on an intergalactic journey to locate a new home for the human race. With adventure around every turn, the path rarely runs smoothly for voyagers Thunder and Kyra, who, joined by their robot Prop and alien Flavo, are forced to embark on a dubious treasure hunt in the ruins of a strange planet to settle their mounting debts. Competing with fellow treasure hunters and armed with information that may help or hinder them, what treachery lies ahead of Thunder and Kyra on planet Imposter?
Having worked on a roster of critically acclaimed titles including the F-Zero, Zelda and Star Fox series, acclaimed art director Takaya Imamura will be leading the art direction and graphics for Omega 6 The Video Game, filled with beautiful pixel art and a cast of unique characters. Meanwhile Shinobu Amayake, also ex-Nintendo, will be drawing on her experience of composing music for NES and SNES titles, including Stunt Race FX, to create an original soundtrack for the game.
Omega 6 The Video Game is due for release in 2024 for Nintendo Switch via developers Happymeal Inc and Pleocene, and publishing partners Clear River Games and City Connection.
EU software sales for the week ending Sep. 10th, 2023
A quiet week for Nintendo
The weekly EU software sales are in! Let’s take a look at the top 10 best-selling games across Europe for the week ending Sept. 10th, 2023. Please note that digital numbers from any titles appearing on Switch are not included.
GSD digital data includes games from participating companies sold via Steam, Xbox Live, PlayStation Network, Nintendo Eshop. Major participating companies are Activision Blizzard, Bandai Namco, Capcom, Codemasters, Electronic Arts, Embracer Group (including Gearbox, Koch Media, Sabre Interactive), Focus Entertainment, Konami, Marvellous Games, Microids, Microsoft (including Bethesda), Milestone, Nacon, Paradox Interactive, Quantic Dream, Sega, Sony, Square Enix, Take-Two, Ubisoft and Warner Bros. Nintendo and 505 Games are the notable absentees, alongside smaller studios.
Digital data includes games sold in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and United Kingdom.
Physical data includes all games, but only those sold in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
Company of Heroes Collection heads to Switch Fall 2023
Keeping Switch owners company
Developed by Feral Interactive, the military masterpiece Company of Heroes will be launching on Nintendo Switch this autumn as a single collection containing the base game and both expansions.
Company of Heroes Collection marks the console debut of the game that redefined real-time strategy, bringing with it epic campaigns based on the liberation of France by Allied forces in World War II. From the daring beach assaults of D-Day and on into the Battle of Normandy, players will command both Allied and Axis forces in an action-packed offering which includes both the base game and its two expansions — Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valor — in one storming package.
With a bespoke user interface and controls designed for play on Nintendo Switch, the full battlefield will be under the player’s command. Intense tactical combat takes place across 41 squad-based missions, with moment-to-moment encounters shaping the course of each battle. A customizable Skirmish mode is also included, with unique factions, multiple game modes and a wealth of maps, offering enormous replayability and rewarding bold experimentation.
Company of Heroes Collection launches for Nintendo Switch this autumn. Further communications will be relayed in due course. Note: Company of Heroes Collection will be single-player only at launch, with multiplayer planned for a post-release update.
Nintendo's new amiibo packaging omits mention of specific hardware
What could it mean?
Some of the Super Smash Bros. amiibo are getting a restock in parts of Europe right now, and eagle-eyed fans have noticed something a little different about them. While the figures themselves remain identical to earlier iterations, the packaging has undergone a minor adjustment. Whereas in the past, the back of the amiibo package typically advertised the Switch, 3DS, and/or Wii U as compatible systems, the new design omits the mention of hardware entirely.
This info comes from a user over on Famiboards.com named Ajimi who works at a video game retail store in France. Ajimi shared a comparison photo of the new packaging next to the old packaging, which you can see above.
Speculation has now begun that this move was made because Nintendo may be planning to phase out the Switch in favor of a new console, and want to make sure the amiibo packaging stays evergreen. That could be the case, or this could simply be a matter of simplifying the design for marketing purposes. It also remains to be seen if this change will carry over to amiibo released in other regions. We’ll have to wait and see!
Check out the latest French commercials for Pikmin 4
Very plucky adverts
Pikmin 4 has been out for a week+ now, and fans the world over are enjoying the game. That certainly includes Switch owners in France, but there’s no doubt Nintendo feels they can woo a few more people to play the game. That’s where the latest round of advertisements comes in.
The video above gives a look at two different commercials for Pikmin 4 that are currently airing in France. As usual for Nintendo during the Switch era, we get a mix of live-action content and gameplay footage. It’s been a winning formula for Nintendo for the last few years, and it seems they have no plans on deviating.
We’ll keep an eye out for Pikmin 4 commercials in other regions, and if we happen to catch any, we’ll be sure to bring them ot you.
Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is Europe's best-selling boxed game for 2023 so far
Link, you are the hero!
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been a sales juggernaut for Nintendo since it launched in May, and the success continues over two months later.
The data on Europe’s physical game sales for the first half of 2023 have come in, and Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has landed in the #1 spot. That’s incredibly impressive considering its a single-SKU game and it launched 4+ months into the year!
Coming in second place overall is Hogwarts Legacy, which is followed by FIFA 23. The European charts include data from Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain and the UK, and you can see the top 3 in each country below. (h/t VGC)
It’s not surprising that with this success, Tears of the Kingdom is the fastest-selling game in the history of the series and the fastest-selling Nintendo game for any system in Europe and the Americas.
