Market (PC & Console)·Updated Mar 17, 2026 by Sensor Tower
The souls-like genre has shifted from indie-dominated to AAA-led, with AAA and AA publishers now accounting for over 70% of estimated units sold on Steam.
Chinese gamers represent approximately 47% of the global souls-like audience, significantly outpacing the United States at 15% and Germany at 5%.
APAC developers have surged to control roughly 80% of the genre's development share as of 2025, building on a foundation established by Japanese studios.
Top-performing titles demonstrate massive commercial scale, led by Black Myth: Wukong (20 million units), Elden Ring (15.6 million), and Monster Hunter World (13 million).
The market composition has inverted since 2017, when AA titles comprised 90% of releases; by 2023, AAA output had risen to account for nearly two-thirds of the market.
The genre's long-term viability is underpinned by high-budget investments and a consistent player demand for challenging, skill-based design.
The souls-like genre has shifted from indie-dominated to AAA-led, with AAA and AA publishers now accounting for over 70% of estimated units sold on Steam.
Chinese gamers represent approximately 47% of the global souls-like audience, significantly outpacing the United States at 15% and Germany at 5%.
APAC developers have surged to control roughly 80% of the genre's development share as of 2025, building on a foundation established by Japanese studios.
Top-performing titles demonstrate massive commercial scale, led by Black Myth: Wukong (20 million units), Elden Ring (15.6 million), and Monster Hunter World (13 million).
The market composition has inverted since 2017, when AA titles comprised 90% of releases; by 2023, AAA output had risen to account for nearly two-thirds of the market.
The genre's long-term viability is underpinned by high-budget investments and a consistent player demand for challenging, skill-based design.