https://venturebeat.com/games/tiktok-newzoo-pc-console-launch-2-5-50k-players/

Only 2.5% of NEW PC/Console Games make it to 50k players.

According to the top 20 most played games in 2023, by MAU, most of them are established franchises. The only new one is Hogwarts Legacy (but also based off on an established fandom/franchise).

I wonder why though? Besides Nostalgia!!

There must be another reason as to why this is happening (maybe the new PC games just emulate the success of top-performing titles by incorporating similar mechanics, themes, or monetization strategies, believing that this is a safer route to achieving visibility).

Thoughts?

(my take: increasingly more new games, year by year => oversaturated market => backlog becomes long => gamers turn to what they know and what has a community (Minecraft, Fortnite, etc.); younger gamers that don’t feel nostalgic-driven, still play those established franchises due to the established pop culture status of those games + social community factor.

Then again, if that’s true, does that stifle innovation? Or does the “top 20 chart of 2023 by MAU” suggest that actually, with the same old games ranking high, incentivize smaller studios to innovate better?

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