Rhys Elliott

Whoa this is awesome! I've been desperate for any kind of externally trackable game pass metrics.

January had a lot of neat Game Pass additions. Here's how many new players they brought in via the service (Alinea Analytics estimates):

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/game-pass-...

January had a lot of neat Game Pass additions. Here's how many new players they brought in via the service (Alinea Analytics estimates):

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/game-pass-...

How did January’s PlayStation Plus games do? Today, we're looking at our PS Plus player numbers for January’s monthly games and the three major additions to the Game Catalog. Also, some exciting new news!

We looked at our data on January's PS Plus monthly games, as well as the three headline Game Catalog games:

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/how-did-ja...

How did January’s PlayStation Plus games do? Today, we're looking at our PS Plus player numbers for January’s monthly games and the three major additions to the Game Catalog. Also, some exciting new news!

We looked at our data on January's PS Plus monthly games, as well as the three headline Game Catalog games:

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/how-did-ja...

Mewgenics pounces to 1M sold Mewgenics launched on Thursday, and it’s blown up. It’s difficult, it’s uncompromising, a little risqué (okay, a lot risqué), and it’s bloody incredible. Let’s look at the Alinea estimates.

Mewgenics has sold 1M copies (Alinea estimates).

And over a fifth of players have already played for over 20 hours (including me!)

Absolutely phenomenal game. Early GOTY contender for me.

Big deep dive on the free Tuesday Substack:

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/mewgenics-...

WELL

Mewgenics pounces to 1M sold Mewgenics launched on Thursday, and it’s blown up. It’s difficult, it’s uncompromising, a little risqué (okay, a lot risqué), and it’s bloody incredible. Let’s look at the Alinea estimates.

Mewgenics has sold 1M copies (Alinea estimates).

And over a fifth of players have already played for over 20 hours (including me!)

Absolutely phenomenal game. Early GOTY contender for me.

Big deep dive on the free Tuesday Substack:

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/mewgenics-...

The top 2026 games by Steam wishlists We look at our 2026 wishlist data, including pre-launch Steam revenue and copies sold for Forza Horizon 6 and Resident Evil 9. We also answer the question ''How can I track wishlist conversion?''

New free Substack post on the top 2026 Steam games (confirmed release dates) by wishlisht balance on Steam (Alinea estimates).

Also includes data on Steam pre-sales for Forza Horizon 6 (220K+ sold) and RE9 (250K+)

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/the-top-20...

Games with co-op modes generated $8.2B in gross revenue on Steam last year (Alinea estimates).

This is up 9% over 2024 and marks the highest revenue ever recorded for co-op games on Steam. 2024 and 2025 even beat the COVID-accelerated high from 2021.

Bigger opportunity here than PvP, I reckon.

Games with co-op modes generated $8.2B in gross revenue on Steam last year (Alinea estimates).

This is up 9% over 2024 and marks the highest revenue ever recorded for co-op games on Steam. 2024 and 2025 even beat the COVID-accelerated high from 2021.

Bigger opportunity here than PvP, I reckon.

Helldivers 2 sells 20M copies We look at our estimates for Helldivers 2 – as well as how much revenue co-op games generated on Steam last year. Democracy managed?

Helldivers 2 has sold 20M copies and made $700M+ in revenues.

WILD.

Our estimates also show that over 250K gamers have played Helldivers 2 for over 500 hours.

Super Earth is in dedicated hands.

Big deep dive:

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/helldivers...

Helldivers 2 sells 20M copies We look at our estimates for Helldivers 2 – as well as how much revenue co-op games generated on Steam last year. Democracy managed?

Helldivers 2 has sold 20M copies and made $700M+ in revenues.

WILD.

Our estimates also show that over 250K gamers have played Helldivers 2 for over 500 hours.

Super Earth is in dedicated hands.

Big deep dive:

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/helldivers...

We already covered Forza, but here's a list of the other 2025 Xbox-published games that sold over 100K on PlayStation.

This list doesn't include Forza or CoD.

Full write-up on the free Substack here: alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/how-2025s-...

Forza Horizon 5 races past 5M copies sold on PS5 We use Alinea Analytics estimates to dive deep (drive deep?) into the success of Forza Horizon 5 on PlayStation 5.

Forza Horizon 5 has passed 5M copies sold on PS5.

Across the board, Horizon 5 still brings in over 1M DAUs. And the PS5 sales helped it cross the 50M player milestone.

Around 23M of these players accessed Forza via Game Pass.

Big deep dive: alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/forza-hori...

PlayStation and Xbox: The games that attracted the most new players over the holidays We round off our holiday coverage with a look at our console estimates. Plus, we answer the question, ‘’do Xbox players over-index for shooters?’’

Here's the PlayStation and Xbox games that got the most NEW players over the holidays (Dec 21 - Jan 4, Alinea estimates):

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/playstatio...

Another million for GTA. Mental!

PlayStation and Xbox: The games that attracted the most new players over the holidays We round off our holiday coverage with a look at our console estimates. Plus, we answer the question, ‘’do Xbox players over-index for shooters?’’

Here's the PlayStation and Xbox games that got the most NEW players over the holidays (Dec 21 - Jan 4, Alinea estimates):

alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/playstatio...

Another million for GTA. Mental!

👏

We don't use reviews in our copies sold estimates.

Also, don't call me a fool. Who the hell even are you?

Go back to Twitter or making amateur YouTube videos/podcasts, troll.

Banging list ❤️

Thanks for getting it on the site @marinov1.bsky.social and @lexluddy.xyz. Legends, the both of you ❤️

Rhys Elliott’s Top 10 Games of 2025 | Giant Bomb Rhys Elliott’s Top 10 Games of 2025 - A guest list for GiantBomb.com's 2025 Game of the Year extravaganza.

For our 4th GOTY list today, @superhys.bsky.social was able to detach himself from spreadsheets long enough to play a few games and tell you about them.
giantbomb.com/articles/rhy...

Data boiz 4 LYF ❤️

The Insatiable Appetite for RAM is Threatening to Consume the Gaming Market RAM provider Micron recently decided to leave the consumer space. Experts tell us about the effect this will have on gaming.

Wondering why everyone is suddenly talking about RAM? What's the big deal?

@patrickdane.bsky.social speaks to analysts and hardware experts like @matpiscatella.bsky.social, @superhys.bsky.social, and Daniel Owen to outline why RAM prices are skyrocketing, and what this means for videogames.

There's been a massive spike in Expedition 33 copies sold since the Game Awards. It's sold an extra 200K+ copies since: 76% on Steam, 21% on PS5, and 3% on Xbox.

Since the event, 52K Xbox players accessed E33 via Game Pass for the first time.

Link: alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/the-game-a...

The Game Awards reveals that blew up on Steam Plus, Expedition 33 sold another 200K copies since its big Game Awards sweep, boosting its daily copies sold by 6x, mostly via Steam and PS5.

Here are the Game Awards reveals that got the most Steam followers after the event (Alinea estimates)

Analysis here: alineaanalytics.substack.com/p/the-game-a...

Expedition 33 was snubbed. The Gestral Beast Race section merely existing means E33 should have automatically won best racing game and best esports game.

Expedition 33 (the team itself) should have won best esports team, and Gustave was the best creator (he wrote in a journal).

Disgrace.

NEED to know your star rating

Dreams should've been free to play and on PC (better fit for UGC creators).

It was never going to touch Roblox but could've blown up and cornered the non-kid demographic, especially during lockdown.

Dreams has a way better aesthetic and UI, too. Roblox looks like shit.

Missed opportunity.