EA Sports FC 26 Tops Global Revenue in September 2025, While Hollow Knight: Silksong Surprises the Industry

September 2025 proved to be an eventful month in gaming, with EA Sports FC 26 leading the global revenue charts according to Newzoo’s latest report. While Electronic Arts’ flagship football simulator dominated sales, its player engagement painted a different picture – the game didn’t even crack the top 10 for monthly active users. In contrast, Hollow Knight: Silksong, after years of anticipation, landed impressively in the top 5, outpacing several blockbuster releases despite its indie roots.

Revenue Leaders and Market Trends

EA Sports FC 26 launched late in the month but still managed to claim the number one spot in total revenue. The title benefited from massive pre-orders, Ultimate Team spending, and the enduring appeal of virtual football, especially among PlayStation players. Its immediate competitor, NBA 2K26, secured second place – marking the best launch month in the franchise’s history. In third came Borderlands 4, which despite mixed critical reception, demonstrated that brand loyalty can overpower reviews when it comes to early sales momentum.

Fortnite slipped slightly, landing in fourth place, while Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight: Silksong claimed fifth. This achievement is particularly notable given its indie status and the long delay leading up to release. According to Newzoo, Silksong sold around two million copies across six major markets, with an impressive 600,000 sales on the Nintendo Switch alone. The game’s critical acclaim and strong community enthusiasm transformed it into one of the year’s biggest surprise successes. Counter-Strike 2 and Dying Light: The Beast followed in sixth and seventh place, while Helldivers 2, EA Sports Madden NFL 26, and Valorant rounded out the top ten.

Engagement vs. Revenue: EA’s Curious Case

Despite leading the financial charts, EA Sports FC 26 didn’t appear in the top 10 for monthly active users (MAU). Instead, EA’s older titles carried the company in engagement – notably Skate in sixth place and last year’s EA Sports FC 25. The latter’s continued popularity might be due to players waiting for next-gen updates or hesitating to upgrade after only a few days of FC 26 availability. Released on September 26, FC 26 had just four days to accumulate user data, explaining its absence from the MAU list.

Fortnite and Call of Duty maintained their dominance in player activity, holding first and second places, respectively. Helldivers 2 returned to the engagement chart at number nine, largely thanks to its Xbox debut and a collaborative Halo-themed event. No Man’s Sky also made a dramatic comeback, jumping 34 spots to reach 18th place after its expansive ‘Voyagers’ update introduced customizable starships and renewed exploration fever among players. Meanwhile, Hades II climbed to the 20th spot in revenue charts, tripling its player engagement since its 1.0 release after 16 months of early access.

Silksong’s Impact: Indie Power in a AAA Landscape

Silksong’s success story represents more than just a strong launch. It signals a shift in how players engage with games – valuing artistry, challenge, and replayability as much as visual spectacle or brand name. After years of silence and fan memes about delays, Team Cherry’s sequel delivered on its promises with fluid combat, haunting music, and a world that feels both familiar and entirely new. Its rise into the top five, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with titans like EA and Take-Two, demonstrates that quality and community anticipation can match the marketing muscle of major publishers.

Looking Ahead

The September report paints a fascinating snapshot of the modern gaming economy. Franchises like EA Sports and 2K continue to dominate monetization, but engagement metrics increasingly favor games with strong social presence and cross-platform accessibility. Titles like Fortnite and Helldivers 2 prove that consistent updates and event-driven content keep communities alive long after launch. Meanwhile, indie triumphs such as Silksong remind the industry that creativity and patience can still pay off spectacularly. As Q4 approaches, eyes will turn toward blockbuster contenders like Call of Duty: Black Ops Gulf War and the highly anticipated expansion for Starfield – both expected to shake up the charts before year’s end.