Top video games launching before Christmas

A new study has revealed the most popular video games that will be available to purchase in time for Christmas this year.

CS gaming site Clash.gg analyzed the average number of Google searches in the U.S. each month for video games that will be available to purchase in time for Christmas; the games with the highest number of searches were deemed the most anticipated and have therefore determined the ranking.

Top video games launching before Christmas

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is the most anticipated game, with 90,326 average monthly searches in the U.S. It was the most searched game, with almost double the number of searches than the second-ranking game, in every state except Hawaii.

The game is due to be released on October 25th and will be the 21st installment in the Call of Duty series.

In second place is Star Wars Outlaws, which had an average of 45,958 monthly searches. The game was released by Ubisoft on August 30th, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Featuring dynamic gameplay, players can explore the open-world environment, full of diverse planets and engaging narratives. By introducing new characters and bringing back familiar faces, it adds an exciting depth to the narrative.

Zenless Zone Zero is the third most anticipated game in the U.S., having been searched 45,043 times on average each month. This game was released on July 4th and is a free-to-play action role-playing game, available on mobile, PC, and PlayStation 5. 

Players can experience a rich narrative set in a futuristic jungle environment; there are fast-paced combat and arcade style mini-games to enjoy within the game, as well as a diverse cast of characters.

Fourth place - Black Myth Wukong

Fourth is Black Myth: Wukong, with 28,228 average monthly searches. The game was released by Game Science on August 20th and is an action RPG which is based on the character Sun Wukong from the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West.

The game features responsive, fluid combat mechanics and moral choices for the player to navigate, adding more depth to the storyline. There are realistic graphics and cinematic presentations to amaze players and draw them further into the world of mythological China.

NBA 2K25 ranks fifth on the list, with 26,583 searches on average per month. Released on September 6th, the game has introduced exciting new features, like advanced AI to provide more challenging gameplay and enhanced graphics and animations.

In sixth is DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO, with 25,389 searches on average each month. This game will be released on October 11th and is a reboot of the original Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi. It aims to provide nostalgia for long-term fans, as well as new features and a fresh experience.

Marvel Rivals is in seventh place, with 21,123 average monthly searches in the U.S. The game will be released just before Christmas, on December 6th, and features a diverse roster of playable characters from the Marvel universe, including Iron Man and Black Widow.

In eighth place comes ARK 2, receiving 16,713 average monthly searches. While Ark 2 has been delayed multiple times to perfect the gameplay, the highly anticipated video game is due to be released later this year.

The developers are aiming to offer new species of dinosaurs and diverse biomes to explore; there will also be a story-driven campaign, with Vin Diesel featuring as Santiago.

Throne and Liberty places ninth, with 11,978 average monthly searches. This is more than a quarter of the global searches for the game, which was 40,392.

This game was released on September 17th and is a free-to-play MMORPG. Some key aspects of the game will be open world exploration, extensive character customization, and story-driven quests.

Lastly, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree ranks tenth. It had 7,947 monthly searches and is the only game on this list to have received less than 10,000 searches.