New Data Reveals Surge in Shooter Games While Pokémon Legends: Z-A Falls Short of Arceus

The gaming landscape for October 2025 paints a vivid picture of the industry’s current trends. Based on the latest data from Newzoo, the popularity of shooter games is undeniable. These reports present a comprehensive overview of the top PC and console games by both revenue and monthly active users (MAUs) across major markets like the U.S., UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Shooters Dominate the Charts

Among the crowd, Battlefield 6 has made a grand entrance. It has claimed the highest spot on the revenue chart and secured the third position in MAUs, despite only being available for a single week in October. This achievement underscores the game’s strong market presence even at its early stages. In comparison, the Call of Duty franchise, although ranking ninth in revenue, managed to clinch second place in MAUs, which is a testament to its enduring popularity, partly bolstered by its availability on Xbox Game Pass.

Another notable release, Arc Raiders, debuted at number seven in revenue and secured the 18th spot in MAUs. Despite being available for only two days in the month, its performance is anticipated to improve as more data becomes available in November.

Classic Titles vs. New Entrants

Several well-known games continue to hold their ground. Among them, Fortnite leads the pack in MAUs and ranks third in revenue, with other staples like Counter-Strike 2, GTA 5, Helldivers 2, Borderlands 4, and Apex Legends making notable appearances. These enduring titles illustrate the challenge new games face in capturing players’ attention and carving out a space among these giants.

In the RPG arena, Pokémon Legends: Z-A has made its mark by ranking fifth in revenue and fifteenth in MAUs. However, it has been noted that it underperformed compared to its predecessor, Legends: Arceus. This may be due to its shift to real-time combat, or possibly the mixed reception of previous titles like Scarlet and Violet. Pokémon Legends: Z-A launched on October 16 and sold 5.8 million units in its first week, with about half for the Switch 2, making it the fifth best-selling game in the series’ first week sales.

The October gaming charts reveal a fascinating mix of established favorites and ambitious new contenders. As we look ahead, the competition is set to heat up, especially with games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 entering the fray in November.