An industry report reveals PC gaming’s record-breaking growth—and our enduring love for decade-old titles

PC gaming is booming, with Newzoo’s latest industry report revealing a staggering 908 million players in 2024, up from 873.5 million in 2023. But despite that rapid growth, most of those gamers are not diving into the newest releases. In fact, they’re largely sticking to the same beloved titles they’ve been playing for years.

The data, shared by Ben Porter, director of consulting at Newzoo, ahead of his talk at GDC, comes from a comprehensive survey of 73,000 players and usage stats from over 10,000 games. Perhaps the most eye-catching takeaway is this: 92% of PC gaming hours in 2024 were spent on games released more than two years ago. That includes a massive 67% of playtime spent on titles over six years old.

Drilling into the numbers, it’s easy to see where that time goes. The top five older titles by playtime alone soak up a significant portion of players’ attention:

• Counter-Strike: Global Offensive / Counter-Strike 2 – 7.1%
  
• League of Legends – 6.4%
  
• Roblox – 6.2%
  
• Dota 2 – 5.8%
  
• Fortnite – 5.4%
  

Together, these five games—most of them free-to-play and supported by years of updates—account for over 30% of all PC player time. That alone explains why publishers chase the “forever game” dream, building long-tail live service titles in hopes of catching lightning in a bottle. Get it right, and it’s a money printer. But miss, and you’re left watching players ignore your shiny new title in favour of games released before the pandemic.

It’s no surprise, then, that many players just stick with what works. Hardware limitations, budget constraints, or simply comfort and familiarity all play a role. After all, PC gamers have long been known for stretching the life of a single game, sometimes across multiple machines and decades. As long as the servers are up (or moddable offline versions exist), there’s no real reason to stop playing what you love.

And it’s not just about cost. The top games on this list are all supported by vibrant communities and constant updates. League of Legends and Dota 2 evolve every season; CS2 may be technically new, but it’s built directly on CS: GO’s foundations. These games are ecosystems as much as they are experiences.

This phenomenon does highlight a tension in the industry. While gaming media and publishers focus on the next big release, the average PC player is booting up their old favourites night after night. It underscores a key disconnect between the hype machine and the lived experience of millions of gamers.

That disconnect might also explain why so many new live service titles fail. They’re not just competing with other new releases—they’re fighting to pull players away from deeply entrenched, community-driven favourites. And for most gamers, switching costs are high: it means new systems, new friends, and often a return to square one in terms of mastery.

As PC gaming continues to grow, it’s clear that its heart remains rooted in the past. Whether that’s out of practicality, passion, or plain habit, one thing is certain: old games never die, they just respawn endlessly.