Gaming Trends 2025: Where Innovation on PC Meets Franchise Loyalty on Consoles

Recent research into gaming trends reveals clear differences in how PC and console players approach new releases. The analysis shows that gamers on PCs are generally more willing to experiment with fresh titles, while those on consoles tend to stick with familiar franchises.

Reflecting on the year 2025, many observed that established series took a back seat to give emerging titles a chance to shine. Although innovative games such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and Hades II received high critical praise, the mainstream audience continued to favor well-known franchises, particularly among console players.

A recent report by a leading industry firm indicates that financial success tended to concentrate around a few major releases while player engagement was maintained by longstanding live-service models. This essentially suggests that even though the PC community has a higher appetite for novelty, the titles with pre-existing popularity were the primary winners. Notably, the Nintendo Switch and its successor showed a unique trend where mid-priced and independent games performed better compared to other console platforms.

The detailed figures further reveal that, on PCs, Battlefield 6 topped the revenue charts with other high-ranking positions secured by recent entries such as ARC Raiders and Schedule I. Additionally, titles For instance, consider titles such as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, and R.E.P.O managed to break into the top ten, while legacy franchises such as Borderlands 4, Monster Hunter: Wilds, EA Sports FC 26, and the enhanced version of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remaster underscored the lasting appeal of familiar intellectual properties when updated with modern features.

On the console front, the pattern of sticking with trusted names was even more evident. The top five console games were dominated by sports titles and established franchises, including EA Sports FC Consider this phrasing: "Spanning titles like 26, NBA 2K26, Battlefield 6, and EA Sports Madden." NFL 26, and MLB The Show 25. This list was complemented by popular titles such as Assassin's Creed Shadows, EA Sports College Football 26, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, Ghost of Yotei, and ARC Raiders, indicating a clear preference among console gamers for known quantities over experimental RPGs or flashy independent adventures.

Nintendo's market data presented a slight deviation from its peers. Games like Fantasy Life: The Time-Thief Girl, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and You can also try: "The Girl Who Pilfers Time, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and" if it flows better with the remainder of your sentence Hades II posted impressive revenue numbers. Although these were not necessarily the top-selling titles, they managed to generate significant income on their respective platforms. If one were to review the most-played titles of the previous year, enduring favorites such as Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, GTA V, and other classics would dominate the landscape, continuing to captivate audiences.

Looking ahead, while capturing initial interest with new releases appears achievable, sustaining audience engagement over a long period is proving to be an increasingly complex challenge.