In July, the video‑game market was largely driven by a wave of remakes and re‑releases, a trend that was clearly reflected in Newzoo’s latest revenue charts. At the forefront of this movement was Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, which secured a spot in the top five for both PC and console earnings.
The title’s strong showing underscores the continuing financial viability of revitalising established franchises for modern audiences. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced marks the first full‑scale remake within the long‑running Assassin’s Creed series.
Newzoo market analyst Mert Şahin highlighted the title’s performance as evidence that older, well‑known games can still generate substantial revenue when they are thoughtfully updated. “The success of Black Flag Resynced demonstrates the commercial potential that can remain with established titles,” Şahin explained, noting that the game’s blend of nostalgic appeal and contemporary enhancements resonated with both veteran fans and newcomers alike. The appeal of remakes lies in their ability to marry familiarity with meaningful upgrades.
By preserving core gameplay elements that made the original popular while integrating modern graphics, quality‑of‑life improvements, and sometimes expanded narrative content, developers can attract a broad spectrum of players. Existing fans appreciate the refreshed experience, and the updated presentation lowers the barrier for new players who might have been deterred by dated visuals or clunky mechanics. This dual‑audience strategy proved effective for Black Flag Resynced, which debuted at number 2 on the PC revenue chart and claimed the fourth position on the console chart for the month. Beyond its immediate chart placement, Black Flag Resynced also earned a spot in Newzoo’s year‑to‑date Top 20 new games by revenue, landing at number 9.
By comparison, another notable entry, Halo: Campaign Evolved, appeared at number 20, illustrating the competitive landscape of newly released or refreshed titles. While Black Flag Resynced exemplifies the impact of a substantial remake, July also saw impressive results from more straightforward ports. The Call of Duty franchise, specifically the ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2, were quietly introduced to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 platforms. These titles quickly climbed the console revenue rankings, securing sixth and first places respectively.
Şahin remarked, “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.” These contrasting examples illustrate two viable strategies for leveraging a publisher’s back catalogue. On one hand, a deep remake can reposition an older game, making it feel fresh and relevant for contemporary gamers.
On the other hand, a simple port—essentially a direct transfer of the original game to newer hardware—can reignite demand with relatively modest investment. Both approaches can be profitable, depending on the title’s legacy, fan base, and the market conditions at the time of release. The month also featured other noteworthy movements. Palworld, a sandbox survival title that had been in early access, officially launched its 1.0 version and entered the PC revenue chart at number 5.
Newzoo pointed out that Palworld’s revenue model—single‑purchase without microtransactions or paid downloadable content—meant that most of its earnings stemmed from new players discovering the game for the first time. Palworld 1.0 also secured the 19th spot on Newzoo’s year‑to‑date Top 20 new games by revenue, indicating solid performance for a title transitioning out of early access. In the realm of monthly active users (MAU) for consoles, Grand Theft Auto 5 experienced a modest rise, climbing two positions on the leaderboard. Newzoo attributed this uptick to heightened interest in the forthcoming GTA 6, spurred by pre‑order activity and the release of the new “Kortz Centre Heist” mission on GTA Online, which attracted both returning and new players to the existing GTA 5 ecosystem.
Overall, July’s rankings reveal how publishers can generate fresh momentum around legacy franchises through a mix of strategic timing, in‑game events, and both extensive and lightweight updates. Şahin summed up the broader implications: “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.” The data presented here were originally shared exclusively with GamesIndustry.biz.
Newzoo also released the full Top 20 PC games by revenue for the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy for June 2026, as well as the corresponding Top 20 console titles, providing a comprehensive view of regional performance trends across major markets.