The recent holiday period witnessed a significant shake-up in the gaming market, with unexpected titles like Arc Raiders and the enduring classic Detroit: Become Human emerging as top sellers. Analysts report these games led the crucial holiday game sales, signaling shifting consumer preferences and the power of strategic discounts. This performance highlights key trends in the industry’s most lucrative quarter.
The success of Embark Studios’ Arc Raiders, an extraction shooter, across PC and consoles, along with Quantic Dream’s narrative-driven Detroit: Become Human, which saw a remarkable resurgence, underscores a dynamic landscape where both new releases and revitalized classics find strong footing. This period, often a bellwether for annual trends, revealed interesting player engagement patterns and revenue generation strategies for publishers.
According to data compiled by Video Game Insights (VGI), Arc Raiders alone moved over four million units across all platforms in December. On Steam, Alinea Analytics estimated an additional 1.2 million copies sold between December 21, 2025, and January 5, 2026, pushing its total Steam sales past seven million since its October 30 launch.
Nexon, Embark’s parent company, confirmed total sales exceeding 12.4 million units, with 2.4 million in early 2026. This meteoric rise positions Arc Raiders as a significant contender in the competitive shooter genre and a key player in recent holiday game sales.
The power of discounts and new player acquisition
The remarkable performance of Detroit: Become Human on Steam during the holiday season provides a clear case study on the efficacy of strategic pricing. This 2018 title, despite its age, became the second best-selling game on Steam from December 21 to January 5, shifting 993,000 units.
Its success was largely attributed to its deepest discount since 2020, dropping from $40 to an accessible $4 during the Steam Winter Sale. This move generated $3.2 million in revenue and pushed its lifetime Steam revenue past $150 million. Such a strategy not only breathes new life into older titles but also expands their audience significantly.
Beyond these top performers, other titles also made notable strides. Battlefield 6 sold over 3.5 million units across all platforms in December, with 706,000 copies moved during the peak holiday window, as reported by Alinea. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 saw an additional one million sales over Christmas, boosted by its recognition at The Game Awards.
Sandfall Interactive’s debut title, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, also demonstrated strong performance as a third-party launch on Xbox Game Pass, exceeding five million worldwide sales by October 8. These figures collectively paint a picture of a robust market driven by diverse consumer interests and effective promotional tactics during the critical holiday game sales period.
Platform dynamics and market shifts
Analyzing new player acquisitions specifically on PlayStation and Xbox from December 21 to January 4, EA Sports FC 26 claimed the top spot with 1.7 million new players. PlayStation 5 consoles accounted for a substantial 73% of FC 26’s total player base, with Europe being the dominant market at 37%, according to Alinea.
However, when comparing launch-aligned data, FC 26’s player count was down 17% compared to its predecessor, EA Sports FC 25. The latest installment recorded 13.8 million players in 110 days, against 16.6 million for FC 25 in the same timeframe. This suggests a potential saturation or shift in the sports simulation market, even for established franchises.
On the Xbox platform, Arc Raiders stood out, leading new player acquisition with 564,000 users, significantly outpacing EA Sports FC 26, which ranked fifth with 286,000 new players. This disparity highlights Arc Raiders’ broad appeal and successful cross-platform launch strategy.
Carving out a substantial share of the market during a period traditionally dominated by established franchises, the data from www.gamesindustry.biz indicates a dynamic competitive landscape. New IPs can swiftly gain traction, especially when supported by robust marketing and accessible gameplay.
The holiday game sales season of 2025-2026 provided compelling insights into the evolving gaming industry. The unexpected dominance of Arc Raiders alongside the resurgent Detroit: Become Human underscores the market’s receptiveness to both innovative new experiences and strategically re-priced classics.
While established franchises like EA Sports FC continue to draw large audiences, their growth trajectories may be facing new challenges. These trends suggest that future success will increasingly rely on a combination of engaging content, smart pricing, and effective multi-platform strategies to capture the diverse demands of a global player base.
