November 2025 delivered a steady stream of new releases across PC and consoles, but the month struggled to match the momentum seen in prior periods. A handful of major strategy and shooter titles posted respectable debuts, yet no single release emerged as a clear breakout hit. Drawing on sales estimates and platform data, this breakdown examines how the month unfolded across Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo's ecosystems, and where the industry's biggest franchises landed.
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Strategy titles claim top spots in a quieter Steam month
On Steam, November opened with two complex, long-form strategy games taking the month's highest positions. Europa Universalis V launched at number one with an estimated 547,000 units sold, proving the enduring appeal of Paradox's historical sandbox franchise. Ubisoft's Anno 117: Pax Romana also delivered strong results, landing in fifth place with 352,000 units and reinforcing the genre's pull among dedicated PC players.
The rest of the month's top sellers featured a mix of returning series and highly anticipated ports. Football Manager 26, boosted heavily by pre-orders, secured second place with 430,000 units, though its redesigned interface sparked heated discussion among longtime fans. Escape From Tarkov made its Steam debut and immediately climbed to third with 403,000 units sold. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 also appeared on the charts, though isolating its exact sales proved difficult due to Activision's unified launcher structure.
Further down the list, November's releases reflected Steam's characteristic genre diversity. Assetto Corsa Rally secured a solid mid-chart position, and Solo Leveling: Arise Overdrive transitioned from free-to-play to premium pricing, landing within the top ten. Despite the variety, the month fell noticeably short of October, which saw far more titles crossing the half-million mark.
Revenue rankings hold firm despite fewer blockbuster launches
While November lacked multiple high-profile debuts, Steam's revenue chart remained relatively stable thanks to the concentration of releases priced between $60 and $70. The top half of the revenue rankings closely mirrored the unit chart, with premium strategy and sports titles maintaining their positions. Revenue dropped sharply beyond the tenth spot, however, highlighting the absence of mid-tier successes capable of filling the gap.
October's late arrivals continue driving November activity
Much of November's sales volume came from games launched in late October, many of which sustained high unit counts at low price points. "Crewlike" cooperative titles once again played a central role, with RV There Yet? adding 1.7 million units in November alone, and R.E.P.O, PEAK, and Mimesis each expanding already substantial player bases. Their low cost and social mechanics positioned them well for viral, sustained growth.
In the shooter category, 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 strongly on consoles, while Battlefield 6 surpassed 24 million cumulative sales across Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation. These titles played a major role in shaping the competitive environment 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 sustained its momentum with another 670,000 copies sold.
Unpacking the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 performance drop
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 remains one of the month's most scrutinized releases due to the challenge of isolating its data from other titles within the unified Call of Duty HQ hub. Despite that limitation, multiple indicators point to a substantial year-over-year decline.
Physical retail sales in the UK fell 61 percent compared to Black Ops 6. Streaming figures also dropped, with Stream Hatchet recording 29.4 million hours watched during Black Ops 7's first two weeks, down from more than 40 million hours during Black Ops 6's debut period the year prior. Steam estimates suggest approximately 331,000 units sold during the first week, compared with 1.3 million for Black Ops 6. While Steam represents only one segment of the franchise's ecosystem, the broader data suggests that competing shooters likely played a role in Call of Duty's reduced impact.
PlayStation's November centered on subscription-driven engagement
PlayStation's November lineup included several new titles, though none exceeded 100,000 units in direct sales outside of Call of Duty. Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road stood among the few notable premium launches, but the month's real activity came from PlayStation Plus. Stray experienced 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, underscoring the importance of catalog additions in PlayStation's engagement strategy.
Xbox players gravitate toward Game Pass over new releases
Xbox saw similar behavior, with Game Pass continuing to drive discovery more effectively than new premium titles. No individual Game Pass launch exceeded 500,000 players, though Cloverpit and Pigeon Simulator came close. Outside the subscription catalog, new titles like Silent Hill 2 failed to gain meaningful traction, selling well under 100,000 units.
Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 sustain strong eShop performance
Nintendo's ecosystem posted consistent results across the Switch and Switch 2 eShops. Kirby Air Riders led the month with more than 200,000 digital units sold, likely supplemented 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 delivered moderate but steady results.
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.
