Sony recently released the top downloaded games on the PlayStation Store for 2022. The list showed the types of games that are popular among players in certain regions and those that are currently trending. The data was gathered from the North America (US/Canada) and Europe regions, and the games were divided into four categories: PS5, PS4, PSVR, and Free-to-Play.
This article will focus on the top 10 games that were most downloaded by gamers in the two regions for each game console. The full list of games can be found on the PlayStation Blog.
Top 10 PS5 Games
| Rank | North America Region (US/Canada) | Europe Region |
| 1 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II | FIFA 23 |
| 2 | God of War: Ragnarök | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II |
| 3 | NBA 2K23 | God of War: Ragnarök |
| 4 | ELDEN RING | ELDEN RING |
| 5 | Madden NFL23 | Grand Theft Auto V |
| 6 | Grand Theft Auto V | GRAN TURISMO 7 |
| 7 | FIFA 23 | Cyberpunk 2077 |
| 8 | Horizon Forbidden West | Horizon Forbidden West |
| 9 | GRAN TURISMO 7 | LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga |
| 10 | Dying Light 2 | Dying Light 2 |
In 2022, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II was the most popular game on the PS5, taking the top spot in North America and second place in Europe. Meanwhile, FIFA 23 was the top-ranked game in Europe but did not fare as well in North America, coming in at seventh place.
God of War: Ragnarök was a top performer, finishing 2022 as the second most-downloaded PS5 game in North America and the third in Europe. ELDEN RING remained in fourth place in both regions.
Horizon Forbidden West and Dying Light 2 received similar rankings in the regions, with both taking 10th place. Other games, such as Cyberpunk, NBA 2K23, Madden NFL23, and LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, were exclusive to certain regions.
Top 10 PS4 Games
| Rank | North America Region (US/ Canada) | Europe Region |
| 1 | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II | FIFA 23 |
| 2 | Grand Theft Auto V | Grand Theft Auto V |
| 3 | Minecraft | Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II |
| 4 | ELDEN RING | Minecraft |
| 5 | NBA 2K23 | FIFA 22 |
| 6 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | Red Dead Redemption 2 |
| 7 | NBA 2K22 | Among Us |
| 8 | Madden NFL 23 | The Last of Us Part II |
| 9 | God of War: Ragnarök | ELDEN RING |
| 10 | FIFA 23 | The Forest |
In North America, Call of Duty: Modern WarZone II and in Europe, FIFA 23 were the top downloaded games. FIFA 23 had lower popularity on PS4 consoles compared to PS5, ranking 10th in North America. Grand Theft Auto V placed 2nd in both regions.
North American gamers had a preference for basketball-based games, as evidenced by the popularity of NBA 2K23 and 2K22, which were the 5th and 7th most downloaded PS4 games in the region. In contrast, European gamers had a preference for soccer-based games, with FIFA 23 and FIFA 22 being the 1st and 5th most downloaded games in the region.
In the top 10 games, ELDEN RING ranks 9th in Europe and 4th in North America, with more downloads in the latter region.
Top 10 PSVR Games
| Rank | North America Region (US/ Canada) | Europe Region |
| 1 | Beat Saber | Beat Saber |
| 2 | Job Simulator | Job Simulator |
| 3 | Superhot VR | Superhot VR |
| 4 | Creed: Rise to Glory | Creed: Rise to Glory |
| 5 | Swordsman VR | Sniper Elite VR |
| 6 | Astro Bot Rescue Mission | Swordsman VR |
| 7 | Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality | Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality |
| 8 | GORN | Batman: Arkham VR |
| 9 | Batman: Arkham VR | Arizona Sunshine |
| 10 | The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners | Astro Bot Rescue Mission |
As shown in the table, the top download choices for PSVR games were similar in both regions. However, the similarities in rankings began at the first rank and ended at the fourth rank, which was Creed: Rise to Glory. In North America, Swordsman VR was the fifth most downloaded game, while in Europe, Sniper Elite VR held that position.
Similar to the previous example, Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality also placed in the 7th spot in both regions. However, games such as GORN, Arizona Sunshine, and Sniper Elite VR were only present in one region’s ranking. As previously mentioned, the rankings had some similarities but also had exceptions.
Top 10 Free-to-Play Games (PS5 + PS4)
| Rank | North America Region (US/ Canada) | Europe Region |
| 1 | Fall Guys | Fall Guys |
| 2 | Fortnite | Call of Duty: Warzone/ Warzone 2.0 |
| 3 | Call of Duty: Warzone/ Warzone 2.0 | Fortnite |
| 4 | Multiversus | Multiversus |
| 5 | Overwatch | Overwatch |
| 6 | Apex Legends | Rocket League |
| 7 | Rocket League | eFootball 2023 |
| 8 | PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS | Apex Legends |
| 9 | Rec Room | Rumbleverse |
| 10 | Rumbleverse | Rec Room |
In 2022, Fall Guys was the top free-to-play game on PlayStation Store in North America and Europe, with Call of Duty: Warzone/Warzone 2.0 and Fortnite alternating in the second spot in the regions’ rankings.
Many of the games on the list are alike, with the notable exceptions of eFootball 2023, which caters to the European market’s preference for soccer games, and PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS, which is popular in North America.
Comparing Sony’s 2021 and 2022 Lists of Most Downloaded Games
Comparing the 2022 list of most downloaded games on the PlayStation Store to the 2021 list, you’ll see that some games have risen in ranking, some have dropped due to reduced download rates, and others have maintained their position because they remain popular among gamers.
For example, in 2022, Call of Duty retained its leading position, rising in popularity in North America and remaining in second place in Europe, indicating that North American gamers prefer Call of Duty over NBA.
It’s not surprising that soccer is the most popular sport in Europe and that gamers there continue to download FIFA games annually on PS4 and PS5 consoles, given that soccer has 4 billion fans worldwide. Similarly, the popularity of basketball and football in the US is reflected in the presence of NBA 2K22/2K2 and Madden NFL23 on the list of popular games.
Despite not climbing in the ranking, Grand Theft Auto still holds a spot in the Top 10 games of 2022 on both PS4 and PS5, demonstrating its enduring popularity.
In 2022, several new games entered the Top 10 list of most downloaded games, including ELDEN RING, Horizon Forbidden West, GRAN TURISMO, and God of War: Ragnarök. Conversely, some previously popular games, such as Marvel: Spider-Man Miles Morales, Battlefield, and Far Cry 6, saw a decline in rankings.
The list of PS VR games for 2022 in both regions remained largely unchanged from 2021, with the exceptions of Batman: Arkham 2.0 being added and Vader Immortal: A Star Wars VR Series being removed.
In 2022, new games dominated the top 10 list of free-to-play games. For instance, Fall Guys, which was not on the list in 2021, became the most downloaded free-to-play game of 2022. Other new entries to the list included Multiversus, Overwatch, and Rec Room.
