Summarized News: According to the latest sales data, the launch sales of big-name video games EA Sports FC 24, Warner Bros. Games' Mortal Kombat 1, and 2K's NBA 2K24 in Europe have fallen compared to their predecessors. Data from Game Sales Data (GSD), which monitors both physical and digital sales, has reported a 10% decline for FC 24 compared to FIFA 23 last year. It points out FIFA 23 was a huge success for EA, however, FC 24 sales are still 3.7% down compared to FIFA 22 in 2021.

EA had predicted a decline after changing the name of their football video game franchise this year following a breakdown in their relationship with FIFA. In spite of lower sales, FC 24 has drawn over 11.3 million players globally, according to EA. New sign-ups for FC 24 have increased by nearly 20% year-on-year, and the game has sold best in the UK.

In other news, the first three weeks of NBA 2K24's sales have seen a drop of 17% compared to NBA 2K23. Bethesda's Starfield, despite being the best-selling game in the U.S. in September and also launching on Game Pass, saw its sales in Europe decline by 13% in the first four weeks when compared to Forza Horizon 5. Mortal Kombat 1's launch sales also slid nearly 39% against those of Mortal Kombat 11.

Despite the gloomy outlook, Ubisoft's The Crew Motorfest recorded a 6.5% increase in sales over The Crew 2's figures, showing particularly strong popularity in France. The ongoing cost of living crisis has been identified as a potential factor impacting consumer spending.

The game release schedule, packed with games delayed due to COVID-19 lockdowns, is also cited as a possible reason for the fall in sales. High-profile releases from Baldur’s Gate 3 to Super Mario Bros. Wonder, Starfield and Spider-Man 2 have all been launched within a three-month period.

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