Indies and original IP blew up in 2026

In 2026, independent developers and original intellectual property (IP) experienced a significant surge in the success of their games compared to the previous year, according to research by Sensor Tower. The analytics firm examined the games that sold more than 500,000 units within the first month of release in two consecutive 12-month periods: September 2024 to August 2025, and September 2025 to August 2026. The number of titles that achieved this milestone increased by 51%, from 120.5 million to 182.4 million units sold.

During the 2025 period, only 13 out of 55 games (24%) were indie titles, while this number rose to 33 out of 76 games (43%) in 2026. Additionally, 40 games in 2026 marked the debut of a new series, up from 21 titles (38%) in 2025. However, sequels continued to dominate with 55% of month-one paid units in 2026.

A noteworthy trend was the increase in original IP games, which rose from 44 in 2025 to 61 in 2026, and the number of completely new IP games jumped from 19 in 2025 to 35 in 2026, with 27 of these being developed by indie studios. The success of indie titles was evident through the release of several notable games, such as Meccha Chameleon, How to Fish, Slay the Spire 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, and Escape from Duckov, which sold between 4 million and 13.9 million units in their first month.

Sensor Tower's Karl Kontus explained that the industry's growth is not solely driven by indie games, as established studios continue to prioritize their franchises, resulting in strong sales for sequels and AAA titles. However, indie and AA studios have found success by taking calculated risks and focusing on unique, engaging experiences that cater to a wide audience.

Kontus anticipates that AAA studios will become more adventurous in their game development as they learn from the indie breakout successes and investors seek higher growth opportunities.