Newzoo’s full-year 2025 data shows PC and console growth was driven by concentrated engagement and post-launch support, not release volume.
Newzoo’s analysis reports on the January–November 2025 period for games of different consoles and assessed if the holiday window materially changed trends already visible by November.
The end of the year sharpened relative performance across key genres on PC and console, clarified short-term winners and losers, and reinforced the central theme of 2025. Growth was shaped less by release volume and more by sustained engagement, post-launch support, and the ability of select titles to concentrate player attention and spending.
Across PC and console, the analysis argues revenue success clustered around fewer high-impact releases, while engagement remained anchored in long-running live-service ecosystems. December intensified competition and clarified relative positioning, but did not change which games and models drove revenue or engagement.
Newzoo notes that PC users remained more receptive to new IP and AA-scale releases with multiple non-franchise titles securing top-10 revenue positions over the full year. By contrast, console revenue continued to reward predictability and brand depth, with annualised sports franchises dominating full-year rankings.
On Nintendo Switch, the report says first-party IP anchored revenue, while indie and AA titles played a more prominent commercial role than on other consoles.
December movements were attributed to updates, DLC, and cultural momentum rather than launch timing alone, including: Diablo IV Season 11, ARC Raiders, and Grand Theft Auto V. On console, Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 were cited for December uplifts tied to DLC and ongoing updates.
Within the Shooter category, the analysis says ARC Raiders maintained its position as the leading shooter by revenue during December, while Battlefield 6/REDSEC and Call of Duty struggled to stand out amid heightened seasonal competition. Call of Duty reportedly slipped from No. 2 in December 2024 to No. 5 in December 2025.
Closing out the year, the article frames 2025 as a market where commercial breakouts remain possible, but sustained attention over time is increasingly difficult, particularly as competition intensifies and player time concentrates further.
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