According to Polygon, Valve’s 2025 Steam best-seller charts reveal an unpredictable year. The extraction shooter Arc Raiders hit the top “platinum” tier for revenue despite only being on sale for a couple of months. Indie games like Hollow Knight: Silksong ($19.99) and Schedule 1 ($9.99) earned platinum status alongside AAA titles, while Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was notably absent from the new release top ranks. Other standouts include Elden Ring Nightreign at $39.99 and the enduring popularity of games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Left 4 Dead 2 years after launch.
The indie price revolution
Here’s the thing that really jumps out: price points are becoming almost meaningless as a measure of success. We’ve got a $9.99 game, Schedule 1, sitting in the same revenue tier as Battlefield 6. That’s insane. Valve doesn’t give us numbers, but you can do the math. To make “platinum” revenue at a tenth of the price of a standard AAA game, you have to be selling an absolute boatload of copies. It proves that compelling gameplay and word-of-mouth can create a financial powerhouse, no $70 price tag or massive marketing blitz required. It’s a direct challenge to the entire “games as a service” model that relies on squeezing players post-purchase.
The AAA stumbles
But the flip side is just as telling. The absence of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 from the platinum tier for new releases is a seismic event. For over a decade, a new CoD appearing anywhere but the very top of these charts was unthinkable. It’s the canary in the coal mine that finally forced Activision’s hand to break its annual release schedule. And it let Battlefield 6 finally claim the FPS crown, at least for a year. This isn’t just about one franchise having a down year; it feels like a permanent crack in the armor of guaranteed AAA blockbusters. Remember the “great MW2 boycott” meme? Well, this time, people might have actually followed through.
The long tail is real
Now, look at the “most played” list. Left 4 Dead 2? A game from 2009! Cyberpunk 2077 hanging on in the gold tier five years after its infamously broken launch? That’s the real story of the modern games industry. A game isn’t a one-and-done event anymore; it’s a platform. With continued support, updates, and expansions, a title can find its audience and thrive for years. CD Projekt Red is basically following the No Man’s Sky and Final Fantasy XIV redemption playbook to perfection. It makes you wonder how many “failed” launches from the past could have been salvaged with this kind of long-term commitment instead of being abandoned.
What it all means
So what’s the takeaway from this roller coaster of a chart? Basically, the old rules are broken. A high price tag doesn’t guarantee success, and a low one doesn’t limit you. A terrible launch isn’t necessarily a death sentence. And even the most reliable annual cash cows can stumble. The player base is voting with its wallet for originality and sustained quality over iterative sequels. It’s a chaotic, unpredictable market. And honestly? That’s way more exciting than a chart full of the usual suspects. You can try to see the full lists for yourself here and here, if the page ever loads.
