- 60.8% of respondents use an emulator on their smartphones to play games.
- Emulators cover various platforms from PlayStation to Nintendo.
- Some users do not use emulators due to device limitations or preference for mobile games.
In 2025, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 became a standout title, selling over 3 million copies in its first month and receiving rave reviews for its blend of turn-based mechanics and quick-time events. Other notable RPG releases included Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, Monster Hunter: Wilds, and Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter. Action games such as Split Fiction and Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds were also well-received. The year featured family-friendly games and intense titles like Doom: The Dark Ages and horror games such as Silent Hill f and Dying Light: The Beast. Indie games like Hades II and Hollow Knight: Silksong gained recognition, alongside lesser-known titles like Despelote and Blue Prince. Remakes included The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, while The Last of Us Part II made its PC debut without technical issues. Stellar Blade and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth also launched on PC, receiving positive acclaim.
iiSU is an ambitious emulation frontend that draws heavily from the Nintendo 3DS and PSP user interfaces. It features custom art and music for games, integrates with RetroAchievements, allows browsing and playing of local media files, and plans to include a social network and a shop for custom themes and icons. The platform is currently in development, with a public build expected in Spring 2026 for Android users.
Nintendo has released the Nintendo Store app on Apple and Android devices, making it easier for gamers to purchase both physical and digital games from the eShop. The app allows users to track playtime across various Nintendo consoles and stay updated on news and events.
Nintendo has released an official Nintendo Store app that allows users to browse and purchase consoles, games, and merchandise. The app requires a Nintendo account and network ID to access features such as checking historical gaming activity. Other features include push notifications for sales, a news feed for Nintendo games and events, and the ability to earn rewards by checking in at official Nintendo stores and events.
Many methods of console piracy have emerged over time, often exploiting unintentional vulnerabilities in licensed games. For example, the PSP was easily hacked due to flaws in games like Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and Medal of Honor: Heroes, which allowed users to manipulate save files to gain access to the system. A debug code in Alien: Resurrection for the PS1 enabled users to swap discs without turning off the console.
Various makeshift tools have been used for hacking, such as a paperclip to exploit the Nintendo Switch and tweezers to access dormant memory sections in the Wii. The Nintendo 3DS was hacked using a magnet to trick the lid sensor, allowing access to developer mode.
The Xbox 360 faced significant modding due to its firmware modification capabilities. A notable method involved drilling into the drive to bypass rewrite protection, known as the "Kamikaze Hack."
While piracy methods have evolved, modern consoles have become increasingly secure, with fewer successful hacks reported in recent years. The appeal of piracy has diminished as subscription services and sales provide easier access to games.
Google has not provided much information about the graphics processing unit (GPU) of the Pixel 10, raising concerns that it may not have an improved GPU or that its graphics hardware could be worse than the Pixel 9. This lack of transparency is worrying for consumers, especially for mobile gamers who may face compatibility issues with demanding games.
The fact described in the text is that the app Gameye allows the user to log everything related to their game collection, including games, systems, peripherals, toys-to-life, and print media.
AYANEO announced the Pocket DS, the world's first dual-screen Android handheld, during a livestream. More details will be revealed in another livestream the following day.
Monster Hunter Wilds on Steam saw a surge of 100,000 concurrent players following the launch of Free Title Update 2, increasing the peak player count from 19,637 on June 29 to 133,033 on June 30. The update addressed performance issues and introduced features like Lagiacrus, Seregios, underwater combat mechanics, and layered weapons. A seasonal event, the Festival of Accord: Flamefete, is scheduled from July 23 to August 6. Earlier in the year, Free Title Update 1 had peak concurrent players exceeding 500,000, but by mid-June, Monster Hunter World had surpassed Monster Hunter Wilds in player numbers. As of the latest reports, Monster Hunter Wilds has over 67,000 players on Steam and is the best-selling game in the US this year, achieving 8 million copies sold within three days of its release, making it Capcom's fastest-selling title.