Fortnite and Friends: The Top Games Captivating Players in 2025
Recent research examining gaming habits among Xbox and PlayStation players in the US for 2025 reveals a notable trend: gamers are still spending the bulk of their time on the same five titles as they did in 2024. Despite a slew of standout games released last year, such as Hollow Knight: Silksong and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, it seems that many players remain deeply entrenched in classic offerings.
Circana’s player engagement tracker, shared by Mat Piscatella, highlights that Fortnite continues its reign as the most played game on both consoles, consistently drawing in players. Following closely behind is Call of Duty, which deserves a nod for the series’ consistent popularity—just remember that whether you’re diving into Modern Warfare 3 or Modern Warfare III, all playtime counts as part of the franchise.
The Most Played Games on PlayStation and Xbox in 2025
Here’s the rundown of the top five games on US PlayStation for 2025, ranked by the percentage of active players:
- Fortnite
- Call of Duty
- GTAV
- Roblox
- Minecraft
If we look back at 2024, it’s the same story:
- Fortnite
- Call of Duty
- GTAV
- Roblox
- Minecraft
Interestingly, the presence of Grand Theft Auto V at third place might raise some eyebrows, especially as anticipation builds for the next entry. Its enduring popularity largely stems from GTA Online, which continues to boast an engaged community.
Player Preferences: A Trend That Stays the Course
As for Roblox, it takes fourth place on PlayStation’s list but sits fifth on Xbox’s. Don’t fret—the lists aren’t too different, as Minecraft flips the ranks, appearing fourth on Xbox and fifth on PlayStation. This data underscores a prevailing theme: players gravitate toward their preferred online communities, often returning to familiar digital worlds.
While the persistence of these titles is hardly shocking, the lack of variety at the top is noteworthy. The same five games consistently dominate, and their order on PlayStation hasn’t budged an inch. Xbox’s lineup did make some changes, with Call of Duty taking the lead in 2024, but the overall familiarity of these titles remains strong. It does make you wonder what might be needed for a newcomer to break through the established ranks.
As one former Rockstar lead remarked, it seems that all competitors in the realm of GTA have “given up,” though there’s still “an opportunity” for challengers. Maybe it just comes down to the sheer influence of titles like GTA and Fortnite that have players hooked.