
Hello everyone !
Thanks to our community votes over the past week, we are able to bring back Install Base's Sales of the Year Awards !
This is our own take on the usual GOTY formula, which will reward the sales success of the year and the most impactful actors of 2024. We hosted a first edition in 2021 (that was quite fun to revisit!) and made some improvements to make this celebration a mainstay every year
Without further ado, let's share the first results of the Awards:
Niche Success of the Year Award
This proved to be a very difficult award to grant because there are less and less franchises that qualify to this criteria. With rising dev costs, franchise that never crossed 1m are mostly dormant. Still, there was a clear winner and it is one of the good early 2024 story:
1. Shiren The Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island - 27 pts
Last known milestone: 200.000 units in Japan (first two weeks)
Rookie of the Year Award
Lots of amazing debut in 2024, which contrasted greatly with the struggles of existing IPs during the year. The top 5 ended up very varied and showcase once more that there's not a single unique formula to succeed.
5. Stellar Blade - 13 pts
Last known milestone: 1.000.000 units worldwide (first two months)
4. Balatro - 14 pts
Last known milestone: 3.500.000 units worldwide (first 8 months)
3. Metaphor ReFantazio - 19 pts
Last known milestone: 1.000.000 units worldwide (first day)
2. Palworld - 22 pts
Last known milestone: 15.000.000 units worldwide on Steam, 10M Xbox players (first month)
1. Black Myth: Wukong - 41 pts
Last known milestone: 20.000.000 units worldwide (first month)
Worst Publisher of the Year Award
3. Embracer - 26 pts
2. Square-Enix - 31 pts
1. Ubisoft - 47 pts
Publisher of the Year Award
3. Nintendo - 17 pts
2. Bandai Namco - 18 pts
1. SEGA - 52 pts
Most anticipated release Award
4. Pokémon Legends Z-A - 7 pts
3. Monster Hunter Wilds - 19 pts
2. The Nintendo Switch successor - 33 pts
1. Grand Theft Auto VI - 48 pts
Flop of the Year Award
3. Skull & Bones - 15 pts
2. Suicide Squad - 17 pts
1. Concord - 61 pts
Sales of the Year Award
10. PC/Steam & Marvel Rivals - both at 10 points
Last known milestone: CCU all-time peak record for Steam and 481.000 CCU peak for Marvel Rivals in December 2024
9. Super Mario Jamboree - 12 pts
Last known milestone: fastest selling Mario Party game in Europe, 900K+ sold at retail in Japan in less than 3 months
8. Path of Exile 2 - 14 pts
Last known milestone: 579.000 CCU peak worldwide on Steam
7. Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero - 24 points
Last known milestone: 3.000.000 units worldwide (first day)
6. Pokémon TCG Pocket - 27 points
Last known milestone: 403.000.000$ in revenue worldwide (first 10 weeks)
5. Balatro - 32 points
Last known milestone: 3.500.000 units worldwide (first 8 months)
4. EA Sports College Football 25 - 82 points
Last known milestone: best-selling Sports game ever in the US, top 50 best-selling game ever in the US
3. Palworld - 83 points
Last known milestone: 15.000.000 units worldwide on Steam, 10M Xbox players (first month)
2. Helldivers II - 99 points
Last known milestone: 12.000.000 units worldwide (first 12 weeks)
And the Sales of the Year Award goes to...
1. Black Myth Wukong - 123 pts
Last known milestone: 20.000.000 units worldwide (first month)
This wraps up the 2024 edition of the Sales of the Year Awards!
Thanks for everyone than participated. 2024 will be remembered as a year of struggles and surprises, with games coming from established publishers mostly underperforming, to comical degrees sometimes, and a lot of unexpected huge hits coming from all over the world.
Thanks to our community votes over the past week, we are able to bring back Install Base's Sales of the Year Awards !
This is our own take on the usual GOTY formula, which will reward the sales success of the year and the most impactful actors of 2024. We hosted a first edition in 2021 (that was quite fun to revisit!) and made some improvements to make this celebration a mainstay every year

Without further ado, let's share the first results of the Awards:
Niche Success of the Year Award
This proved to be a very difficult award to grant because there are less and less franchises that qualify to this criteria. With rising dev costs, franchise that never crossed 1m are mostly dormant. Still, there was a clear winner and it is one of the good early 2024 story:
1. Shiren The Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island - 27 pts

Last known milestone: 200.000 units in Japan (first two weeks)
Rookie of the Year Award
Lots of amazing debut in 2024, which contrasted greatly with the struggles of existing IPs during the year. The top 5 ended up very varied and showcase once more that there's not a single unique formula to succeed.
5. Stellar Blade - 13 pts

Last known milestone: 1.000.000 units worldwide (first two months)
4. Balatro - 14 pts

Last known milestone: 3.500.000 units worldwide (first 8 months)
3. Metaphor ReFantazio - 19 pts

Last known milestone: 1.000.000 units worldwide (first day)
2. Palworld - 22 pts

Last known milestone: 15.000.000 units worldwide on Steam, 10M Xbox players (first month)
1. Black Myth: Wukong - 41 pts

Last known milestone: 20.000.000 units worldwide (first month)
Worst Publisher of the Year Award
3. Embracer - 26 pts
2. Square-Enix - 31 pts

1. Ubisoft - 47 pts

Publisher of the Year Award
3. Nintendo - 17 pts

2. Bandai Namco - 18 pts
1. SEGA - 52 pts

Most anticipated release Award
4. Pokémon Legends Z-A - 7 pts

3. Monster Hunter Wilds - 19 pts

2. The Nintendo Switch successor - 33 pts

1. Grand Theft Auto VI - 48 pts

Flop of the Year Award
3. Skull & Bones - 15 pts

2. Suicide Squad - 17 pts

1. Concord - 61 pts

Sales of the Year Award
10. PC/Steam & Marvel Rivals - both at 10 points

Last known milestone: CCU all-time peak record for Steam and 481.000 CCU peak for Marvel Rivals in December 2024

9. Super Mario Jamboree - 12 pts

Last known milestone: fastest selling Mario Party game in Europe, 900K+ sold at retail in Japan in less than 3 months
8. Path of Exile 2 - 14 pts

Last known milestone: 579.000 CCU peak worldwide on Steam
7. Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero - 24 points

Last known milestone: 3.000.000 units worldwide (first day)
6. Pokémon TCG Pocket - 27 points

Last known milestone: 403.000.000$ in revenue worldwide (first 10 weeks)
5. Balatro - 32 points

Last known milestone: 3.500.000 units worldwide (first 8 months)
4. EA Sports College Football 25 - 82 points

Last known milestone: best-selling Sports game ever in the US, top 50 best-selling game ever in the US
3. Palworld - 83 points

Last known milestone: 15.000.000 units worldwide on Steam, 10M Xbox players (first month)
2. Helldivers II - 99 points

Last known milestone: 12.000.000 units worldwide (first 12 weeks)
And the Sales of the Year Award goes to...
1. Black Myth Wukong - 123 pts

Last known milestone: 20.000.000 units worldwide (first month)
This wraps up the 2024 edition of the Sales of the Year Awards!
Thanks for everyone than participated. 2024 will be remembered as a year of struggles and surprises, with games coming from established publishers mostly underperforming, to comical degrees sometimes, and a lot of unexpected huge hits coming from all over the world.