Google has revealed the most searched-for video games of 2025, and the top 10 makes for a pretty interesting read.
Now, obviously, search engine trends aren't everything — but they do offer meaningful insight into what the general public's actually bothering to investigate. And in terms of gaming, they can suggest the ebb and flow of a release's hype cycle.
Case in point: engrossing extraction shooter ARC Raiders was the most Googled game of the year — and it does make some degree of sense when you stop to think about it.
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This was an entirely new IP that released around the same time as the juggernaut that is Battlefield 6. It didn't have the immediate recognition of its competitor's global brand, but it did have positive word of mouth, pushing those unfamiliar with the name to do some research.
But we also can't forget that people Google games to get answers, and to learn the secrets of how to get good. ARC Raiders does have a bit of a learning curve, so we assume that side of things will have played into this result as well.
For what it's worth, Battlefield 6 is second on Google's list, showing just how popular the series' revival has been.
It's followed by Strands — a word-based puzzle game that's apparently massively popular on phones — Split Fiction, and then Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
Perhaps surprisingly, those two incredibly highly rated titles beat out Grand Theft Auto 6, which we honestly thought would have taken the top spot — especially when you factor in the delays alongside the franchise's world-beating popularity.
One somewhat obvious omission from the list is Hollow Knight: Silksong. It was, undoubtedly, one of the most anticipated releases of the entire generation, and it was basically shadow dropped back in September. It could just be that fans already knew what they were in for...
Here's the full top 10 (thanks Geoff Keighley):
- ARC Raiders
- Battlefield 6
- Strands
- Split Fiction
- Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
- Path of Exile 2
- GTA6
- Pokemon Legends Z-A
- Minecraft
- Roblox
Are you surprised by this list at all? Are there any other games that you thought would be included? Let us know if you Googled ARC Raiders in the comments section below.