November 2025 brought a wide range of new game releases across PC and consoles, though overall results fell short of the previous months’ momentum. While a few major strategy and shooter titles delivered solid debuts, the month notably lacked a clear breakout hit. Using GameDiscoverCo’s estimates, this overview highlights how the month played out across platforms, how Steam’s charts shifted, and where the industry’s biggest franchises landed.
Strategy Games Lead a Mixed Month on Steam
On Steam, November opened with two dense, long-form strategy experiences claiming the month’s top spots. Europa Universalis V debuted at number one with an estimated 547,000 units sold, demonstrating the continued strength of Paradox’s historical sandbox series. Ubisoft’s Anno 117: Pax Romana also performed well, placing fifth with 352,000 units and reinforcing the genre’s appeal among dedicated PC players.
The month’s remaining top sellers showcased a mix of returning franchises and long-awaited ports. Football Manager 26, driven heavily by pre-orders, secured the second position with 430,000 units, though reactions to its updated interface sparked debate among long-time fans. Escape From Tarkov arrived on Steam for the first time and immediately climbed to the number-three spot with 403,000 units sold. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 also charted, though exact sales remain difficult to isolate due to Activision’s unified launcher.
Beyond the top tier, November’s list reflected the broad genre spread Steam is known for. Assetto Corsa Rally secured a strong mid-chart debut, and Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive migrated from free-to-play to a premium format, landing within the top ten. Despite the variety, the month fell short compared with October, which delivered far more entries clearing the half-million mark.
Revenue Charts Hold Steady Despite Fewer Large Launches
While the month lacked multiple blockbuster debuts, Steam’s revenue chart remained relatively stable thanks to the number of releases priced in the $60–$70 range. The top half of the chart mirrored the unit rankings, with premium strategy and sports titles holding their ground. Revenue dropped sharply beyond the tenth position, however, reflecting the lack of mid-tier hits able to bridge the gap.
October’s Breakout Hits Continue to Dominate
Much of November’s activity came from games released in late October, many of which continued to post high-volume sales at low price points. “Crewlike” cooperative titles once again played an important role, with RV There Yet? adding 1.7 million units in November alone, and R.E.P.O, PEAK, and Mimesis each building on already large audiences. Their low cost and social focus made them well-positioned for viral, sustained growth.
In the shooter space, ARC Raiders and Battlefield 6 remained two of the year’s most significant performers. ARC Raiders added 3.4 million Steam units in November and continued performing well on consoles, while Battlefield 6 surpassed 24 million cumulative sales across Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation. These titles played a meaningful role in shaping the competitive landscape for premium shooters during the holiday season.
Other notable performers included narrative mystery hit Dispatch, which added 1.3 million units on Steam, and Escape From Duckov, a 2D extraction shooter that continued its momentum with another 670,000 copies sold.
Understanding the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Decline
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 remains one of the month’s most debated releases due to the difficulty in separating its data from other titles in the unified Call of Duty HQ hub. Despite that limitation, several indicators suggest a significant year-over-year drop.
Physical retail sales in the UK were down 61 percent compared to Black Ops 6. Streaming numbers also declined, with Stream Hatchet registering 29.4 million hours watched during Black Ops 7’s first two weeks, compared with more than 40 million hours in Black Ops 6’s debut period the year prior. Steam estimates point to approximately 331,000 units sold during the first week, compared with 1.3 million for Black Ops 6. While Steam is only one part of the franchise’s ecosystem, the broader environment shows that competing shooters likely contributed to Call of Duty’s reduced impact.
PlayStation’s Month Built Around Subscription Engagement
PlayStation’s November lineup featured several new titles, though none reached 100,000 units in direct sales outside of Call of Duty. Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road was among the few notable premium launches, but the month’s real momentum came from PlayStation Plus. Stray saw a surge of 2.1 million new players, while Totally Accurate Battle Simulator added nearly 2 million. EA Sports WRC 24 also gained more than 1 million players through the subscription service, highlighting the importance of catalog additions in PlayStation’s engagement strategy.
Xbox Players Turn to Game Pass Above New Releases
Xbox saw similar behavior, with Game Pass continuing to drive discovery more effectively than new premium titles. No individual Game Pass launch surpassed 500,000 players, though Cloverpit and Pigeon Simulator came close. Beyond the subscription catalog, new titles like Silent Hill 2 failed to gain significant traction, selling well under 100,000 units.
Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 Maintain Strong eShop Momentum
Nintendo’s ecosystem delivered steady results across the Switch and Switch 2 eShops. Kirby Air Riders led the month with more than 200,000 digital units sold, likely complemented by strong physical performance. Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment followed with over 160,000 digital copies, while third-party offerings such as Tomb Raider, Winter Burrow, and Dinkum posted moderate but consistent results.
Source: GameDiscoverCo
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What were the best-selling new PC games in November 2025?
Europa Universalis V, Football Manager 26, Escape From Tarkov’s Steam debut, and Anno 117: Pax Romana led the month’s top new releases.
Why did Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 underperform?
Early data indicates lower retail sales, reduced streaming hours, and weaker estimated Steam performance. Increased competition from Battlefield 6 and ARC Raiders likely contributed.
Which games saw the highest overall engagement on Steam?
Ongoing hits like RV There Yet?, R.E.P.O, PEAK, ARC Raiders, and Battlefield 6 generated some of the platform’s highest unit increases during November.
How did PlayStation perform in November 2025?
PlayStation’s subscription catalog drove most engagement, with Stray and Totally Accurate Battle Simulator seeing millions of new players through PlayStation Plus.
What were the standout titles on Nintendo platforms?
Kirby Air Riders and Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment led Nintendo’s digital charts, with Tomb Raider and Winter Burrow performing well among third-party releases.
Did November 2025 have any breakout hits?
Compared with previous months, November lacked a major breakout release. Most top-performing titles were continuations of October’s strong launches.
