Microsoft has unveiled the best-selling Xbox games of 2024, revealing a clear trend: sports titles reigned supreme. This list, part of the inaugural Xbox Excellence Awards, offers a glimpse into player preferences and market trends within the Xbox ecosystem.

The Xbox Excellence Awards, launched in late January 2024, aim to recognize outstanding achievements in Xbox gaming. One category focuses on commercial success, listing the 20 top-selling games on the Microsoft/Xbox Store in 2024.  While presented alphabetically, the list still provides valuable insights, particularly when compared with other sales data like Circana’s report.

2024 also saw numerous highly anticipated titles launch on Xbox Game Pass. This subscription service continues to deliver value to gamers, with a strong lineup of both indie gems and AAA releases.

Sports games accounted for over a third of the best-sellers, demonstrating their significant popularity among Xbox players. Titles like MLB The Show 24, NBA 2K25, NHL 25, WWE 2K24, and three EA Sports games secured spots on the list.  EA Sports College Football 25 and EAS FC 25 further distinguished themselves by also ranking high in player engagement and daily active users, demonstrating their strong appeal and replayability.

Interestingly, some games included in the top 20 experienced commercial underperformance.  Titles like Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Star Wars Outlaws, and possibly Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora fell short of sales expectations. Their presence among the best-sellers raises questions about factors influencing perceived success and the impact of development costs.

Microsoft will award trophies to all developers and publishers recognized in the Xbox Excellence Awards 2024, representing a diverse range of companies across 15 countries.