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September 2026’s Top New PC & Console Games
This analysis examines the performance of new PC and console game releases during September 2026, providing a comprehensive overview of market trends and top-performing titles.
- The tactical FPS Wardogs emerged as the top-performing new Steam game in September 2026, reaching approximately 3.5 million units sold and generating $100–$110 million in revenue.
- Multiplatform AAA and AA+ titles dominated the top charts, with Onimusha: Way of the Sword selling 730,000 units on Steam (nearly 2 million total) and The Blood of Dawnwalker selling 650,000 units on Steam (over 1 million total).
- Indie titles saw significant traction, led by the co-op game Bombanana! with over 1 million Steam units, followed by Graveyard Keeper 2 with over 400,000 units and Dressmaker with over 300,000 units.
Steam's Top September 2026 Games
Steam experienced its most successful September and third quarter on record in 2026, generating $1.7 billion and $5.5 billion in revenue, respectively.
- Steam generated $1.7 billion in September 2026, marking its best September on record and a 13% increase over the previous year.
- Steam's Q3 2026 revenue reached $5.5 billion, a 12% year-over-year increase, putting the platform on track to exceed $20 billion in total annual revenue for the first time.
- The PvP shooter 'Wardogs' led September premium releases with $86.9 million in revenue, contributing to a total of over $100 million since its early access launch on September 10.
You Probably Shouldn’t Launch a Horror Game in October
The prevailing industry assumption that horror games must launch in October to achieve success is a misconception that often leads developers to unnecessary scheduling pressure.
- October is one of the worst months for indie horror game revenue, as developers 'herd' into the month, creating excessive competition that suppresses median earnings.
- Data from professional horror game developers shows that June often yields better median revenue than October due to lower market saturation.
- There is no organic 'Mariah Carey effect' for horror games; player engagement spikes in October are primarily driven by Steam-wide sales and promotional events rather than seasonal consumer demand.
This Year's Top PlayStation Plus Games
This analysis examines the performance of major titles on the PlayStation Plus subscription service and broader industry sales trends as of September 2026.
- Capcom has generated $617 million in gross revenue on Steam so far in 2026, with 61.6% of that total attributed to the Resident Evil franchise.
- FC 26 leads PlayStation Plus performance for the year with 7.8 million new players, including 5 million who accessed the title during its free claim window from May 6 to June 17.
- Spider-Man 2 has reached 4.3 million new players via PlayStation Plus since its addition to the Extra tier on February 18 and has generated $1.3 billion in total revenue across all platforms.
Short Drama Weekly Ranking: AI Magic Drama Surpasses 100M Impressions
The global short drama market experienced a period of stabilization during the week of August 3–9, 2026, characterized by slowing growth and increasing consolidation among major studios.
- The short drama market showed signs of saturation during the week of August 3–9, 2026, with active titles increasing by only 1.28% to approximately 47,500.
- The title 'The Genius Heiress Mage Is Back' surpassed 130 million estimated impressions, driven by a unique media mix targeting the US (43.90%) and the Philippines (31.21%).
- Studio consolidation is increasing, as DramaWave accounted for nine of the titles in the weekly ranking.
Summer Game Fest: Live Reporting Notes
The Summer Game Fest in Hollywood showcased a lineup dominated by sequels and franchise extensions, reflecting the industry’s risk-averse strategy amid economic uncertainty.
- Summer Game Fest was dominated by sequels and franchise extensions, signaling a industry-wide shift toward risk-averse strategies amid economic uncertainty.
- Studios are prioritizing established intellectual property over new projects because historical data shows new IP consistently underperforms compared to proven brands.
- High-profile updates included Final Fantasy VII Revelation, which features new playable characters Vincent and Cid, updated character designs, and a sky-diving traversal mechanic.
Battlefield, EA Sports FC and Pokémon Continue to Lead European Charts
The European video game market continues to be dominated by established franchises, with Battlefield 6, EA Sports FC 26, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A maintaining the top three positions in unit sales for the week ending November 2, 2025.
- Battlefield 6, EA Sports FC 26, and Pokémon Legends: Z-A maintained the top three positions in the European sales charts for the week ending November 2, 2025, despite respective sales declines of 24%, 11%, and 36%.
- The Outer Worlds 2 debuted at No. 8 in unit sales, with its combined early access and launch performance tracking slightly below the opening week of the original 2019 title.
- Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake entered the charts at No. 9 in units and No. 6 in revenue.
Why Monolith Mattered
The recent closure of Monolith Productions by Warner Bros. marks the end of a significant, three-decade-long career for a studio recognized for its consistent technical and design innovation.
- Warner Bros. has closed Monolith Productions, a studio established in 1994 that spent three decades driving innovation in first-person shooter and action game design.
- The closure reflects a broader industry trend of corporate consolidation, occurring within a 2024 landscape where approximately 14,000 game developers have been laid off.
- Monolith is best known for the Nemesis System in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, a patent-protected narrative tool that generated unique, player-driven stories.
Ask George: December 2024
The December 2024 edition of the Video Games Industry Memo serves as a year-end personal reflection, shifting away from standard industry analysis to curate a list of cultural highlights.
- The December 2024 edition of the Video Games Industry Memo serves as a personal year-end reflection rather than a professional industry analysis.
- The report provides a subjective list of media highlights across six categories: fiction, non-fiction, film, television, music, and video games.
- Specific cultural recommendations include The Secret History (1992), Meet Me in the Bathroom (2017), Sing Sing (2023), Tigers Blood (2024), Industry (2020–2024), and Fallout: New Vegas (2010).
Free Fire's Billion Free Downloads
Garena’s Free Fire maintains its status as a global leader in mobile game downloads by prioritizing accessibility for low-end hardware, a strategy that contrasts sharply with the broader industry trend toward high-fidelity, Unreal Engine-based titles.
- Garena’s Free Fire has achieved over 1.3 billion downloads and approximately $1.3 billion in net revenue since its September 2017 launch, consistently ranking as a top global mobile game.
- Free Fire maintains its market dominance by prioritizing low-end device compatibility, allowing it to capture a massive user base in emerging markets that higher-fidelity competitors ignore.
- While most mobile shooter developers are shifting toward high-fidelity graphics and Unreal Engine, Free Fire continues to generate 600,000 to 800,000 daily downloads by keeping its technical specifications significantly lower than industry trends.
Blood Sacrifice
The departure of Unity CEO John Riccitiello in October 2023 serves as the focal point for an analysis of corporate governance and instability within the video game industry.
- John Riccitiello has stepped down as CEO of Unity after nine years, following a tenure marked by declining share prices, staff layoffs, and significant backlash over the company's 'Runtime Fee' policy.
- James Whitehurst has been appointed as interim CEO of Unity, though the company has provided no indication of a strategic shift or departure from the policies established under Riccitiello.
- The game industry has experienced over 6,000 job cuts in 2023, with September being the most severe month as 17 studios implemented staff reductions.
Analyst Bulletin: Mobile Game Market Review July 2023
The mobile gaming market in July 2023 was characterized by significant engagement through major content updates, cooperative gameplay events, and high-profile intellectual property collaborations.
- July 2023 saw major updates in mobile gaming, including new gameplay mechanics, monetization options, and IP collaborations, with Pokémon Sleep notably impacting player engagement.
- Diablo Immortal's new Blood Knight character class led to a 400% increase in daily iOS downloads, though it didn't result in a revenue spike as the class was not monetized.
- Monopoly GO!'s first cooperative event, Baking Partners (July 4-9), doubled daily iOS revenue around its launch, maintaining momentum afterward.