Sony recently unveiled the top PS5 downloads of 2024, and it’s clear that plenty of live service games have made a splash. This pattern sheds light on why PlayStation has been keen to embrace the live service model, even though it’s stirred up some debates. Now, gaming industry expert Mat Piscatella has chimed in, presenting the best-selling games of 2024 across all platforms, which further underscores this strategic move.
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In a Bluesky update, Piscatella laid out the top 20 U.S. games of 2024 based on dollar sales. These figures encompass both physical copies and full digital sales from platforms like Nintendo eShop, PlayStation, Steam, and Xbox, covering the period from December 30, 2023, to January 4, 2025. Here’s a rundown of the list:
1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
2. EA Sports College Football 25
3. Helldivers 2
4. Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero
5. NBA 2K25
6. Madden NFL 25
7. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
8. EA Sports FC 25
9. Elden Ring
10. EA Sports MVP Bundle
11. Hogwarts Legacy
12. Dragon’s Dogma 2
13. WWE 2K24
14. MLB: The Show 24
15. Grand Theft Auto 5
16. Minecraft
17. Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth
18. Tekken 8
19. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
20. NBA 2K24
For those who routinely track these numbers, many familiar names dominate the list. Icons like Call of Duty, NBA 2K, Grand Theft Auto 5, and EA Sports FC (formerly known as FIFA) are staples among top sellers each year. However, seeing Helldivers 2, a PlayStation live service title, as a standout is quite surprising. Sony’s previous ventures into live service games have seen mixed results, yet they struck gold with Arrowhead’s sequel this time around.
The list predominantly features games with live service components, with eight out of the top nine embracing this format. Even though not all fans may be thrilled with Sony’s direction, the data paints a clear picture of why the company is leaning into the games-as-a-service approach.
