
### The Evolution of Gaming Revenue: Insights from Steam’s 2025 Rankings
As we delve into the realms of video game sales, 2025 has brought an intriguing landscape of revenue generation on Steam. Valve has unveiled its list of the highest-grossing games, showcasing a significant shift towards fresh releases compared to the previous year. This year’s ranking reveals that an impressive 31 out of the top 100 highest-grossing games were new titles, a notable increase from 24 in the previous year’s ranking. This suggests a trend toward newer games capturing consumer interest in the gaming market.
According to data analyzed by GameDiscoverCo’s Simon Carless, the increase in fresh titles could be attributed to multiple factors. “It’s possible that 2025 was just a super-strong year for new games,” he noted, recognizing the potential impact of deep discounts on older catalog games. As these games often sell for 25-50% less, it raises questions about how revenue sorting impacts the visibility of higher-priced newcomers and viral hits. This combination of various influences likely contributed to the current state of game sales.
Valve categorized this year’s highest-grossing games into four tiers based on revenue: platinum, gold, silver, and bronze. In the platinum tier, seven out of the 12 games are new releases, including highly anticipated titles such as **Kingdom Come Deliverance 2**, **Arc Raiders**, **Monster Hunter Wilds**, **Marvel Rivals**, and **Battlefield 6**. Notably, **Call of Duty** also made a return, redefined as a new entry thanks to Activision’s shift towards an app-based release model. The platinum tier also includes established names like **Dota 2**, **Counter-Strike 2**, **PUBG**, and **Apex Legends**, underscoring their enduring popularity.
Moving down to the gold tier, newcomers like **Borderlands 4**, **Clair Obscur: Expedition 33**, **Split Fiction**, **Elden Ring Nightreign**, **Oblivion Remastered**, and **EA Sports FC 26** found their place alongside veterans such as **Cyberpunk 2077** and **Baldur’s Gate 3**. The silver tier contained titles like **Hollow Knight: Silksong** and **Dispatch**, while the bronze tier featured **Hades 2**. Interestingly, both **Silksong** and **Hades 2** have gained traction among Steam Deck users, achieving platinum status this year.
Identifying the specifics behind these shifts in game sales can be complex. However, the overarching trend indicates a resilience in consumer spending on new titles, despite economic pressures that might otherwise deter such purchases. The absence of popular free-to-play games like **Fortnite** and **Roblox** on Steam has likely contributed to this favorable outlook, allowing new entries to thrive without heavy competition from established, free-to-play giants.
In conclusion, 2025 has witnessed a dynamic evolution in gaming revenues on Steam, characterized by a remarkable shift towards fresh game titles and a robust demand for new experiences. This year’s data reflects not only the gaming industry’s resilience but also the diverse purchasing behaviors of consumers navigating a shifting economic landscape. As we look ahead, it will be fascinating to see how these trends unfold in the coming years.