Most played games on PlayStation and Xbox during the year of 2025 maintained an impressive similarity to the previous year, revealing a strong market trend. The data, released by senior analyst Mat Piscatella from the research firm Circana, shows that Sony’s list remained identical. Meanwhile, on Microsoft’s side, only the order of the five most popular titles changed. This revelation, made at the beginning of 2026, highlights the persistent dominance of so-called live service games in the current gaming landscape. This finding is relevant because it signals a market increasingly concentrated on a few long-running franchises, something that affects everything from studio planning to player conversations.
As a result of this analysis, we see that titles like Fortnite, Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto V, and Roblox continue their hegemony. These games, which function as constantly evolving platforms, capture players’ time month after month. Thus, the research measures the percentage of the active panel that plays each title, offering a faithful portrait of consumption habits. The big question that remains, therefore, is whether we are facing a creative stagnation or simply a public preference for social and ever-renewed experiences.
What the numbers reveal about players
For many fans of closed narratives and solo exploration, the news may sound a bit discouraging. After all, the data seems to confirm that players of traditional single-player titles now form a smaller niche. However, it is necessary to look at the other side: the stability also reflects the success of games that manage to engage gigantic communities for years. Only Roblox maintained its exact position in the Xbox top 5, while the other titles swapped places, showing fierce competition even within this select group. This movement, however subtle, proves that the battle for player attention is constant, even among giants.
Despite this, the feeling is of a catalog that has become predictable. With new franchise releases forecast for the coming years, the industry observes whether this cycle will repeat in 2026. The big question is whether any new IP will manage to break this barrier and join the list in the future. Meanwhile, studios can use this data to understand fan loyalty and plan updates that keep their communities active and engaged.
