In July, the video‑game market was heavily influenced by a wave of remakes and re‑releases, and the data compiled by analytics firm Newzoo underscores how these older properties can still generate substantial revenue streams. At the forefront of this trend was Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, which secured a prominent position on both the PC and console leaderboards.
On the PC side, the title entered the rankings at number two, while on consoles it settled at the fourth spot, marking a notable achievement for a game that originated more than a decade ago. This achievement is particularly significant because Black Flag Resynced represents the first full‑scale remake in the Assassin’s Creed franchise. Mert Şahin, a senior analyst at Newzoo, highlighted that the title’s strong performance is a clear indicator of the "commercial potential that can remain with established titles" when they are thoughtfully refreshed for modern hardware and audiences.
The analyst explained that remakes have a unique ability to blend the nostalgic familiarity that long‑time fans cherish with meaningful technical and gameplay upgrades that make the experience feel contemporary. "Remakes can combine familiarity with meaningful updates, appealing to existing fans while making older experiences more accessible to new audiences," Şahin said.
This dual‑appeal strategy is evident in the way Black Flag Resynced has been received. Long‑time followers of the Assassin’s Creed series appreciate the enhanced graphics, refined combat mechanics, and quality‑of‑life improvements, while newcomers are drawn in by the modernized presentation and the chance to explore a historically rich pirate adventure without the barriers of outdated technology. Beyond its immediate chart placement, Black Flag Resynced also earned a spot in Newzoo’s year‑to‑date Top 20 new games by revenue, ranking at number nine.
This places it ahead of many titles that were originally launched in 2026, reinforcing the notion that a well‑executed remake can outperform brand‑new releases in terms of monetary performance. In contrast, the game Halo: Campaign Evolved, another recent entry, appeared at number twenty on the same list, illustrating the competitive landscape where both fresh IPs and revitalized classics vie for player spending. The July charts also featured notable performances from straightforward ports of existing games.
The Call of Duty series, specifically the ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, were "shadow‑dropped" onto PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 consoles. These ports achieved impressive rankings, capturing sixth place and the top position respectively on the console revenue chart. Şahin observed that while Black Flag Resynced showcases the upside of a substantial overhaul, the success of the Call of Duty ports demonstrates that even minimal updates can still spark considerable commercial momentum. "While 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," Şahin noted.
He went on to explain that these examples illustrate two complementary approaches to managing a publisher’s back catalogue: deep‑dive remakes that reposition older titles for a modern audience, and lighter‑weight re‑releases that reignite demand with relatively modest development effort. Another interesting case from July was Palworld, a game that transitioned out of early access and entered the PC revenue chart at number five.
Newzoo pointed out that Palworld operates as a single‑purchase title without microtransactions or paid downloadable content, meaning that the bulk of its earnings came from new players purchasing the game for the first time. This contrasts with many contemporary titles that rely heavily on ongoing monetisation through in‑game purchases. Palworld’s 1.0 launch also secured the nineteenth spot on Newzoo’s year‑to‑date Top 20 new games by revenue, indicating that a well‑executed launch can still thrive in a market saturated with free‑to‑play and service‑based models. The monthly active user (MAU) figures for consoles also revealed shifting player interest.
Grand Theft Auto 5, a long‑standing bestseller, climbed two positions in the MAU rankings. Newzoo attributed this rise to heightened excitement surrounding the upcoming GTA 6, fueled by pre‑order activity and the release of the new "Kortz Centre Heist" mission on GTA Online, which attracted both veteran and new players to the platform. Overall, Şahin summed up July’s trends by emphasizing how publishers can generate fresh momentum around legacy franchises. "July's PC and console rankings show how publishers can create fresh momentum around established games and franchises," he said.
"Timely in‑game and real‑world events lifted engagement, while remakes, re‑releases, and lifecycle transitions generated new commercial opportunities across PC and console." The data presented here were shared exclusively with GamesIndustry.biz and include detailed rankings for the top 20 PC games by revenue across major territories—namely the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy—for June 2026, as well as the corresponding top 20 console titles. These charts provide a comprehensive snapshot of how both new launches and revitalised classics are shaping the financial landscape of the gaming industry in mid‑2026.