10 Video Games Titles Everyone Searched For This Year
The year of 2025 was full of unexpected turns and as the trend goes we got a lot of things before GTA 6. One would assume that the year’s biggest hardware headlines would dominate the cultural moment but the real story lived in our search bars.
This year's annual trends report revealed the truly captivated players: the games we couldn’t stop Googling, talking about, or trying to understand better.
And the results are delightfully unpredictable. A single Pokémon title represents Nintendo’s presence in the lineup, while last year’s familiar favourites have mostly faded, replaced by a wave of fresh names and breakout hits. Word-of-mouth wonders like Split Fiction and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 found themselves sharing space with blockbuster giants like Battlefield 6 and Arc Raiders proof that curiosity can be just as powerful as brand legacy. Meanwhile, evergreen worlds such as Minecraft and Roblox continue to remind us that comfort gaming isn’t going anywhere.
Even more telling? One of the year’s biggest search spikes belongs to a game that still hasn’t launched. If anticipation were a platform of its own, Grand Theft Auto 6 would be running away with the high score.
Top Searched Video Games in 2025
Here’s a closer look at the ten games that defined our digital daydreaming in 2025:
Arc Raiders
Few games arrived with the momentum Arc Raiders generated. What started as a stylish co-op shooter quickly evolved into one of the year’s most talked-about experiences. Its retro-futuristic aesthetic and high-stakes extraction gameplay sparked countless clips, debates, and deep dives online.
Battlefield 6
The Battlefield series has had its ups and downs over the years, but Battlefield 6 marked a realignment, bringing lapsed fans back into the fold. Whether it was the refreshed large-scale warfare or the buzz around its revamped multiplayer systems, players were eager to see if this entry could recapture the magic.
Strands
Last year’s quiet success story became this year’s returning favourite. Strands, the New York Times’ daily word game, proved that simple pleasures still win hearts. It’s the only returning title from 2024’s trending list, and its presence here says a lot: low-pressure creativity and clever design never go out of style.
Split Fiction
Split Fiction arrived like one of those “have you tried this yet?” recommendations that suddenly everyone is talking about. Blending narrative experimentation with rich worldbuilding, it became 2025’s under-the-radar darling. Players were intrigued by its fractured storytelling mechanic—search numbers show they wanted explanations, theories, and more.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
One of the most visually striking games of the year, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 captivated audiences with its painterly aesthetic and inventive RPG combat. What truly fueled its search momentum, though, was word-of-mouth praise. Players called it mesmerising, emotional, and unlike anything else solid ingredients for a trending hit.
Path of Exile 2
After years of anticipation, Path of Exile 2 finally arrived to an audience hungry for depth, customisation, and hardcore dungeon-crawling. Searches soared as players navigated builds, mechanics, and the big changes from its predecessor.
Grand Theft Auto 6
Only GTA could trend globally without even being out. Whether it was trailer analysis, theories, release-date speculation, or chatter about the in-game world, GTA 6 dominated conversations long before launch day. It’s the only unreleased title on the list, proving once again that anticipation around this series operates on a level of its own.
Pokémon Legends: Z-A
In a year filled with new franchises and gritty shooters, Pokémon Legends: Z-A stood as Nintendo’s lone representative. And it held its ground beautifully. Fans searched eagerly for updates, mechanics, and new region details evidence that Pokémon’s formula still has endless space to evolve.
Minecraft
After more than a decade, Minecraft is still one of the internet’s favorite rabbit holes. Whether players were hunting for new mods, exploring updates, or diving into building inspiration, search interest remained strong. Minecraft’s enduring presence here is a reminder that some worlds just feel like home.
Roblox
Roblox continues to thrive not just as a game, but as a creative ecosystem. Its place on the trending list comes from its constant evolution—new games within the platform, fresh trends, viral experiences, and thriving communities. For millions, Roblox isn’t simply entertainment, it’s where digital life happens.