Analysis by Sensor Tower – completed on the request of GamesIndustry.biz – reveals that indies and original IP made up a a lot larger proportion of the most important PC and console video games of 2026 in comparison with 2025.
The analytics agency picked out the video games that had offered greater than 500,000 items in their first month on sale in two 12-month date ranges: September 2024 to August 2025 (the 2025 cohort), and September 2025 to August 2026 (the 2026 cohort). Within the 2025 cohort, a complete of 55 video games offered greater than 500,000 items in their first month, whereas 76 video games met the brink in the 2026 cohort, and the variety of items offered elevated by 51% 12 months on 12 months, from 120.5 million to 182.4 million.
Within the 2025 cohort, simply 13 titles (24%) have been indies, in contrast with 33 in the 2026 cohort (43%).
New sequence additionally broke via. Forty titles (53%) in 2026 have been the primary recreation in a brand new sequence, up from 21 titles (38%) in 2025. Nevertheless, it is notable that sequels nonetheless are inclined to promote extra per recreation – sequels accounted for 55% of month-one paid items in 2026.
As well as, the variety of video games primarily based on original IP (IP owned by the developer or writer versus IP licensed from sports activities leagues, movie, TV, comics, or toys) leapt up from 44 titles in 2025 to 61 in 2026. The variety of video games primarily based on utterly new IP (that’s, not primarily based on an present franchise) elevated from 19 in 2025 to 35 in 2026, with 27 of them being made by indie studios.
The variety of AA and AAA titles attaining one-month gross sales of greater than 500,000 items remained flat throughout 2025 and 2026. Fifteen AA video games offered greater than 500,000 items their first month in each 2025 and 2026, whereas the numbers rose very barely for AAA, from 27 to twenty-eight.
Nevertheless, when taking a look at unit gross sales, the share of month-one paid items for AA video games shrank from 21% in 2025 to 14% in 2026, whereas the share for indies elevated from 26% to 38%.
Among the largest indie hits in the 2026 cohort have been Meccha Chameleon (13.9 million items offered in the primary month in accordance with Sensor Tower estimates), How one can Fish (7.9 million), Slay the Spire 2 (5.9 million), Hole Knight: Silksong (5.2 million), and Escape from Duckov (4 million).
The complete report might be downloaded from Sensor Tower here.
GamesIndustry.biz requested Karl Kontus, SVP and GM of Video Sport Insights at Sensor Tower, for his interpretation of the outcomes, and his solutions are beneath.
Have been you stunned on the outcomes of the info?
I anticipated a robust 12 months for indie, and my intestine mentioned most of it could come from “friendslop” – the low funds co-op celebration video games like Meccha Chameleon and How one can Fish. They did produce the most important indie breakouts, roughly half of indie first-month gross sales. However they have been solely 9 of the 33 indie hits. Indie studios additionally broke via with single-player video games and long-awaited sequels like Slay the Spire 2 and Hole Knight: Silksong. The indie success is far broader than one style.
Are we seeing a transfer away from AAA?
Probably not. AAA is holding regular: the identical quantity of AAA video games handed 500k paid items in their first month because the 12 months earlier than. AAA nonetheless accounts for almost half of first-month gross sales, and large franchises like Battlefield, EA Sports activities FC, and Resident Evil hold delivering. Indie hits aren’t taking away the share from AAA, they’re additive. They drive the brand new development. What stunned me is what number of video games now clear 500,000 gross sales in their first 30 days: 76, up from 55 a 12 months earlier. That’s a really wholesome signal for the business.
What sort of traits are you seeing among the many largest promoting titles?
Three tales are taking part in out right here. First, established studios, whether or not AAA, AA, or indie, are leaning into their franchises, and it’s working: sequels like Battlefield 6, Resident Evil Requiem, Slay the Spire 2, and Silksong are among the many largest launches. Second, AA studios are making large bets which are paying off. Crimson Desert, 007 First Gentle, and Wardogs are every competing head-on with AAA, and some might develop into the subsequent large franchises. Third, indie is targeted on most enjoyable in a contained scope: low budgets, contemporary concepts and the hope of going viral. Meccha Chameleon offered extra copies in its first month than every other launch in the final 12 months, besides Battlefield 6.
Is there any hyperlink between being an original IP and the variety of items offered? Do original video games promote roughly?
Original video games provide you with a better ceiling, however a decrease flooring. In our 2026 cohort, 35 of the 76 video games that offered 500k+ in their first month have been brand-new video games on original IP, up from 19 a 12 months earlier. 4 of the ten largest launches have been brand-new, together with Meccha Chameleon and Arc Raiders. Current IP nonetheless provides a extra dependable begin and takes danger out of a undertaking, so the selection is much less about maximising potential and extra about managing danger. AAA has taken most of that danger off the desk in this a part of the cycle: solely 5 of its 28 hits have been brand-new video games. So innovation is coming from indie and AA. I anticipate AAA to begin making riskier bets once more as publishers watch these indie breakouts and traders search for development. Arc Raiders reveals what that may appear like.