In terms of video games, 2025 has been the year of the indie. This year saw many great game releases including Hollow Knight: Silksong, Blue Prince, Scrabdackle, Hades II and Deltarune Chapters 3 and 4. Gamers also saw a rise in “friendslop” video games (the term given to 4-player co-op games) with R.E.P.O. and Peak. 

And yet, year after year, AAA companies have continued to prove their economic dominance. This can be seen with the list of the top 10 best-selling video games of 2025. This list is based on revenue instead of units sold and is sourced from Circana with data up to November. 

10) Ghost of Yōtei

Developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Ghost of Yōtei is the sequel to Ghost of Tsushima. Ghost of Yōtei is one of the best-received games on this list, being well-liked by users and critics alike. 

Pre-production began on the game in 2021, with it being announced during PlayStation’s State of Play presentation in 2024. Later that year, it was also nominated for Most Anticipated Game at the Game Awards. In the 2025 Game Awards, it was nominated in seven categories, but won none. 

9) The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: Remastered

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: Remastered was a surprise release, meaning the announcement and game were released on the same day (April 22). The new version was developed by Bethesda and Virtuos and was met with a generally positive reception. 

Sage Creek Sophomore Devon Auhorn is a long-time fan of the Elder Scrolls series and has played the original 2006 Elder Scrolls: Oblivion. 

“[The remaster] is a really good game just like the original, which I consider one of the best RPGs of all time,” Auhorn said. 

While they do consider the new graphics “amazing,” Auhorn mentions that they require “a decent computer” to run well. Auhorn recommends The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion: Remastered, “especially as a first-time Elder Scrolls game for someone getting into the series.”

8) Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the latest installment in the top-selling series from Treyarch and Activision. Black Ops 6 received a Metacritic score of 82, which highlights the community’s positive reception. 

This addition to the franchise adds improved overall graphics and gameplay. This includes all new maps and a variety of new weapons. For fans, this addition is a solid improvement; however, the rating of 6.2/10 stars suggests that Activision still has a lot to work on.

7) Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Black Ops 7 launched shortly after its predecessor, and it’s safe to say that fans were not pleased. The star rating of 1.6/10 encapsulates the frustration of supporters who spent over $70 on the game. 

Developers noted improvements, including changes to wall-jumping mechanics and to player movement. However, not even critics were impressed with a product rating of 65 overall. It is clear that the seventh addition of the series was a step back, and changes are going to need to be made to get the series back on track.

6) Madden NFL 26

Madden NFL 26 is marketed as the new premier football game released this year. The game aims to be an improvement over Madden 25, its predecessor, which, according to the Metacritic score of 70, was disappointing. 

Significant improvements in gameplay and AI mechanics, as well as additional features such as improved coach design and in-game presentation, have elevated this year’s addition. Its Metacritic score of 77 is a solid improvement when compared to the dissatisfaction of last year’s product. 

Despite that, Sage Creek student Omar Hamzeh Smadi believes the game is a disappointment. 

“The game is pay-to-win and barely different from last year,” Hamzeh Smadi said. 

For years, some fans have believed that the game is just copy-pasted code with roster updates. This  has plagued the development company EA Sports for years because people are hesitant to buy the new game.

5) EA Sports College Football 26

Electronic Arts College Football 26 is the new entry in a historic lineup of football video games. This year’s addition is only the third college football game developed over the last ten years. 

Created to surpass the positive feedback of last year’s game, College Football 25, EA has added several new captivating features this year. These features include revamped coaching trees for top-tier immersion in the game’s beloved dynasty mode and redeveloped tackling and blocking mechanics. 

The addition of a new soundtrack and the use of real team audio enhances the overall presentation. However, the success of last year’s game, combined with a long list of requests from fans, made several players feel that the game was too much of the same.

4) Borderlands 4

Released on Sept. 12 by Gearbox Software, Borderlands 4 is the fifth mainline entry into the Borderlands series and the sequel to Borderlands 3. 

Borderlands 4 received a positive score from critics, but the game was not so favorable amongst users. Described as a first-person looter shooter, Borderlands 4 adds new vehicles and movement tools not seen in previous installments in the series. The base price for the game is $69.99, the deluxe edition costs $99.99 and the super deluxe edition costs $129.99.

3) Monster Hunter Wilds

Developed by Capcom as a successor to Monster Hunter: World, Monster Hunter Wilds released on Feb. 28 to a positive reception.

In Monster Hunter Wilds, the player is tasked with capturing or killing large, mythical dragon-like creatures. The game can be played single-player or with up to four-player co-op and is available on Steam, PS5, and the Xbox Series X|S.

Monster Hunter Wilds is the fastest-selling Capcom game to date, selling eight million copies in the first three days. The game was nominated for Best RPG at The Game Awards 2025 and won an Excellence Award at Japan’s Game Awards 2025 in the Games of the Year Division.

2) NBA 2K26

NBA 2K26 is the latest addition to the NBA Basketball video game series. Featuring this year’s cover athlete Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the game elevates itself over past products. 

A Metacritic score of 82 highlights the satisfaction of critics this year. Fans of the game appreciate new additions such as a new rebound mechanic and improved shot timing. This year’s game also includes an update to the 2K My Career game mode that allows players to experience both high school and college basketball before entering the NBA. 

For some, the game seems eerily similar to several of its predecessors. Fans sometimes feel that Take-Two Interactive makes minor adjustments and advertises it as a brand-new product. This is an issue for the fans expected to pay almost 70 dollars on a yearly basis.

1) Battlefield 6

Ranking at the top of the list is Battlefield 6. Developed by Battlefield Studios and published by Electronic Arts, Battlefield 6 received a generally positive reception from critics and a relatively mixed reception from users. 

Costing more than $400 million to develop, Battlefield 6 is one of the most expensive games ever made, as it was trapped in ‘development hell’ due to ambitious goals for the project including a target of reaching 100 million players by the time it was released. 

Battlefield 6 is estimated to have sold 20 million copies, with seven million sold in the first three days. The base price for Battlefield 6 is $69.99, but the price jumps up to $99.99 for the Phantom Edition, which is primarily customization-based.

Conclusion

That wraps up the list of best-selling games for 2025. Looking forward to the rest of 2026, don’t expect the releases to slow down. This year is set to release  much-anticipated titles such as GTA VI, Resident Evil Requiem (RE9), Forza Horizon 6 and 007: First Light. See you next year!