As Sony looks ahead to 2025, the company took the chance to look back at the topPlayStation 5games downloaded through the PlayStation store in 2024, and some of the top titles were shocking to see. The list looked at PS5 and PS4 games downloaded through the store, PlayStation VR 2 games, and free-to-play favorites.
Revealed on thePlayStation Blog,the list of games included a mix of new and old games, along with plenty of classics. While the free-to-play category was dominated by the usual suspects,Fortnite,Roblox, andCall of Duty: Warzone, newcomers likeMarvel Rivalsrose to the top three most downloaded games in the United States and Canada. This reflects much of the list of paid games in the PS5 and PS4 categories, but the games at the top and bottom had their surprises. The reveal of this list comes after a tumultuous 2024 for PlayStation, that saw a decline in hardware sales and questions about the direction of Sony’s exclusive titles.
Classic And New Games Are Topping The Charts On The PlayStation Store
Along With The Latest Hits Are Perennial Sellers That Fans Can’t Stop Playing
It’s no surprise that the two most downloaded PS5 games in the US and Canada in 2024 wereCall of Duty: Black Ops 6andEA SPORTS College Football 25. In Europe,Black Ops 6was the second most downloaded game, behindEA SPORTS FC 25, withEA SPORTS FC 24remaining in the top five. It’s also no shock to seeGrand Theft Auto Vmake the top five, as these titles often benefit from recurring sales, likePlayStation’s ongoing Holiday Sale.Helldivers 2also made the top of the list as it was one of PlayStation’s top new exclusives in 2024.
Sony Removes Major Feature From The PlayStation 5, Leaving Some Fans Frustrated
Sony removed a feature that a lot of players found convenient, leading to a discussion as to the possible motivations for removing it.
The list of PS4 titles is similar, withGrand Theft Auto Vremaining in the top five in the US and Canada andMinecrafttopping the charts in both regions. Other PS4 classics high up the list includeBatman: Arkham KnightandRed Dead Redemption 2. Importantly, these two games don’t have a PS5 version but have seen several updates to take advantage of the new technology. The PS4 version ofBlack Ops 6was also one of the most downloaded games from the PS Store, and with developer Activision addressingBlack Ops 6cheating complaints, more players are sure to download the latestCall of Dutyentry in 2025.
Our Take: Some Of The Top Downloaded Titles On The PS Store Are Shocking
Within The List Are Some Surprise Hits And Shocking Choices
The list of most downloaded games from the PS Store had its share of surprises in 2024. For instance,The Game Awards Game of the Year winner,Astro Bot, was second to last on the list of most downloaded PS5 games. While Astro Bot’s September release can account for this, it’s still shocking to see an all-ages PS5 exclusive not as high up on the list asWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2.Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthwas also near the bottom of the list, which is in line with reports from developer Square Enix that the second game in theFinal Fantasy 7remake trilogyunderperformed sales expectations.
Not all the surprises were due to underperforming sales. For instance, the survival horror multiplayer gamePhasmophobiasaw enough success on its leap toconsole from PCthat it made the list. However, some games on this list are just hard to explain, like the PS4 gamesNeed for Speed Heat,A Way Out, andStar Wars Battlefront 2, all of which came out over five years ago. PerhapsA Way Outexperienced some success thanks to the performance ofIt Takes Two, as both games were developed by Hazelight Studios and offer players a unique way to play together. Others might’ve just hit the right sale at the right time.
