Valve has shared its annual insights into the best-selling games on Steam for 2025, a tradition that coincides with the holiday season. While many are preoccupied with festive feasts and resolutions for the new year, the team at Valve, led by Gabe Newell, has meticulously compiled a ranking based on revenue generated by the year’s top titles. This list, however, diverges from the most popular games on the platform, as it reflects pure income rather than player ratings or popularity metrics.
Understanding the Rankings
The methodology behind Valve’s rankings is somewhat unconventional. Rather than presenting exact sales figures, the company categorizes games into tiers: the ‘platinum’ tier includes the top 12 earners, followed by the ‘gold’ tier, and so forth. Within each tier, the titles are randomized, adding an element of intrigue to the rankings while keeping specific sales data under wraps. This approach offers a glimpse into consumer spending patterns, revealing both expected successes and surprising entries.
Among the anticipated titles, Battlefield 6 and Arc Raiders stand out, having launched with significant momentum and leveraging effective monetization strategies. Similarly, EA FC 26 has secured its place in the top tier, reflecting the ongoing success of franchises that capitalize on microtransactions.
One of the most unexpected additions to the list is Dune Awakening. While it garnered praise as one of the best MMOs upon its release, its presence among 2025’s heavyweights is noteworthy. Indie games have also made a strong showing; Hollow Knight: Silksong, despite its modest price, resonated with players and achieved top-tier sales. Another surprise hit, Schedule 1, has defied expectations, marking its place among the year’s best sellers.
Single-player experiences are well represented as well, with titles such as Monster Hunter Wilds, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remake, Civilization 7, and Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 all making the cut. The complete list of the top 12 best-selling games on Steam in 2025, presented in no particular order, is as follows:
- Dune Awakening
- The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered
- Hollow Knight: Silksong
- Borderlands 4
- EA FC 26
- Monster Hunter Wilds
- Arc Raiders
- Schedule 1
- Civilization 7
- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
- Battlefield 6
- Elden Ring Nightreign
The ‘gold’ tier, encompassing games ranked from 13th to 24th, features notable titles such as Europa Universalis 5 and Anno 117: Pax Romana, alongside day-one Game Pass releases like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Doom The Dark Ages.
This annual ranking serves as a reminder of the vast array of gaming experiences available, highlighting the many titles that remain unexplored. Even for avid gamers who engage with more new releases than the average user, the list underscores the importance of tackling that ever-growing backlog of games.
