Games Released in 2016

7,885 new games debuted in 2016 across 10 platforms, with PC seeing 5,661 releases. October was the busiest month, with 1,044 releases. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End was the most popular release of the year.

Which days had the most releases?

December 15 was the busiest single day of 2016 with 91 releases.

91 releases

December 15

83 releases

April 5

76 releases

October 13

73 releases

August 25

Which month had the most releases?

The busiest release month of 2016 was October, totaling 1,044 titles.

How did each season compare?

Q4 was the busiest quarter of 2016 with 2,908 releases.

Q1 (Jan–Mar)

1,919 releases

Most popular release in Q1

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley is an open-ended country-life RPG! You’ve inherited your grandfather’s old farm plot in Stardew Valley. Armed with hand-me-down tools and a few coins, you set out to begin your new life. Can you learn to live off the land and turn these overgrown fields into a thriving home? It won’t be easy. Ever since Joja Corporation came to town, the old ways of life have all but disappeared. The community center, once the town’s most vibrant hub of activity, now lies in shambles. But the valley seems full of opportunity. With a little dedication, you might just be the one to restore Stardew Valley to greatness!

Q2 (Apr–Jun)

2,220 releases

Most popular release in Q2

Uncharted 4: A Thief's End

Several years after his last adventure, retired fortune hunter, Nathan Drake, is forced back into the world of thieves. With the stakes much more personal, Drake embarks on a globe-trotting journey in pursuit of a historical conspiracy behind a fabled pirate treasure. His greatest adventure will test his physical limits, his resolve, and ultimately what he's willing to sacrifice to save the ones he loves.

Q3 (Jul–Sep)

2,551 releases

Most popular release in Q3

Persona 5

Persona 5, a turn-based JRPG with visual novel elements, follows a high school student with a criminal record for a crime he didn't commit. Soon he meets several characters who share similar fates to him, and discovers a metaphysical realm which allows him and his friends to channel their pent-up frustrations into becoming a group of vigilantes reveling in aesthetics and rebellion while fighting corruption.

Q4 (Oct–Dec)

2,908 releases

Most popular release in Q4

Minecraft

Minecraft focuses on allowing the player to explore, interact with, and modify a dynamically-generated map made of one-cubic-meter-sized blocks. In addition to blocks, the environment features plants, mobs, and items. Some activities in the game include mining for ore, fighting hostile mobs, and crafting new blocks and tools by gathering various resources found in the game. The game's open-ended model allows players to create structures, creations, and artwork on various multiplayer servers or their single-player maps. Other features include redstone circuits for logic computations and remote actions, minecarts and tracks, and a mysterious underworld called the Nether. A designated but completely optional goal of the game is to travel to a dimension called the End, and defeat the ender dragon.

Which platforms saw the most releases?

PC received 5,661 new titles in 2016, holding the most releases. The runner up was Mac with 1,842 new titles.

PC5,661 releases

Mac1,842 releases

iOS1,332 releases

Linux1,277 releases

Android1,161 releases

PlayStation 4710 releases

Xbox One441 releases

Wii U353 releases

Web browser304 releases

PlayStation Vita276 releases

What genres were most popular?

Indie was the dominant genre in 2016 with 4,478 titles. Adventure followed closely with 3,185.

Indie4,478

Adventure3,185

Simulator1,579

Strategy1,540

Role-playing1,439

Puzzle1,231

Arcade1,041

Platform768

Shooter761

Sport509

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