July’s PC and console rankings show how publishers can create fresh momentum around established games and franchises. Timely in-game and real-world events lifted engagement, while remakes, re-releases, and lifecycle transitions generated new commercial opportunities across PC and console.
Events can reactivate players without reshaping the market
Established games continued to command player attention in July. On PC, Counter-Strike 2, Minecraft, ROBLOX, and Fortnite retained the top four positions in the monthly active users (MAU) rankings. Fortnite also remained at #1 in the console MAU rankings, demonstrating the resilience of mature ecosystems built around habitual play, social connections, and regular content updates.
But even within this stable hierarchy, timely events and content updates created meaningful engagement gains for individual titles. Grand Theft Auto V climbed three places to #2 in the console MAU rankings, driven by the hype surrounding the opening of pre-orders for GTA VI at the end of June and the launch of The Kortz Center Heist for GTA Online. The update introduces an art gallery robbery with multiple entry points and rewards for different playstyles, including stealth and brute force. Randomized loot also gives players a reason to complete the heist more than once.
Rockstar Games paired the release with a broader economy rebalance, reducing payouts for repeatedly playing older heists and missions while making the first completion of weekly activities more rewarding.
As heists are a way for GTA Online players to earn in-game currency, these changes encourage players to rotate between activities rather than repeatedly grinding single jobs. GTA V's July engagement increase shows how new content and adjustments to underlying systems can work together to influence both when players return and how they spend their time.
EA SPORTS FC 26 also reached an all-time high in console MAU in July, with engagement peaking around the World Cup final. EA aligned its Festival of Football campaign in Ultimate Team with the tournament across June and July, reserving its largest content beats for the week of the final. Engagement then held rather than declining, as the game’s end-of-cycle content arrived in late July and gave players other reasons to continue playing.
Despite reaching a new engagement high, EA SPORTS FC 26 remained at #3 in the console MAU rankings. This shows the distinction between increasing activity within a game and changing its competitive position. Major cultural moments and well-timed content can reactivate an established audience, but the wider engagement hierarchy remains difficult to disrupt.
Back catalogs became significant revenue drivers
July’s revenue rankings demonstrate that commercial momentum does not depend solely on new intellectual property. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced debuted at #2 on PC and #4 on console by revenue. The title remakes one of the franchise’s most popular entries, rebuilding its visuals and combat, while introducing additional content.
As the first remake in the Assassin's Creed franchise, its performance demonstrates the commercial potential that can remain within established titles. Remakes can combine familiarity with meaningful updates, appealing to existing fans while making older experiences more accessible to new audiences.
But July’s rankings also show that extensive updates are not always necessary. Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops II arrived on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 as shadow drops. Both are straightforward ports without upgrades over their original releases, yet Black Ops II reached #1 in the console revenue rankings and Black Ops reached #6.
The re-releases also drove engagement. Black Ops II entered the console MAU rankings at #7, while Black Ops reached #14. A third title from the series, Call of Duty: Black Ops III, entered at #20.
The performance of these older titles highlights the strength of the Call of Duty brand and the continuing demand for familiar experiences. While Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced shows the potential of substantially updating an established game, July's Call of Duty results demonstrate that straightforward ports can also generate significant commercial momentum.
These examples highlight different approaches to managing a back catalog. Substantial remakes can reposition older games for modern audiences, while straightforward re-releases can generate renewed demand with comparatively limited changes.
A full release created fresh momentum for Palworld
After two and a half years in early access, Palworld debuted at #5 in the PC revenue rankings with its 1.0 release. The full launch roughly doubles the size of the map and adds 72 Pals, new weapons, and reworked progression systems.
As Palworld is sold as a single purchase and does not include microtransactions or paid downloadable content, its July revenue came almost entirely from new buyers rather than additional spending from its existing audience.
This distinguishes its performance from that of a live-service game monetizing an established player base. The 1.0 launch gave prospective buyers a clear reason to reconsider the game, demonstrating how the transition out of early access can function as a significant commercial event rather than simply a development milestone.
Palworld also entered the console revenue rankings at #19 and the console MAU rankings at #18. Together, these results show how a full release and broader platform presence can create new momentum for a title that has already spent several years in the market.
Established properties still offer room for growth
July’s rankings demonstrate that established games and intellectual property can create momentum in different ways. Live-service events can bring players back and influence how they engage with an existing ecosystem. Content connected to real-world cultural moments can increase activity late in a title’s lifecycle.
Remakes can update familiar experiences, while straightforward ports can generate demand with limited changes. Full releases can also create distinct commercial moments around games that are already known to audiences.
July’s results show that new releases are not the only source of growth. Well-timed events, strong catalog management, and clearly defined lifecycle moments can all unlock new value from established titles and franchises.
These monthly rankings complement the broader trends discussed in our upcoming 2026 Global Games Market Report, available to pre-register now.