Start here
The Most Popular Gaming Platforms of the 21st Century
Compare console, PC, mobile and handheld play, and learn why a platform can be called popular by players, by time spent or by revenue, with different answers.
Industry and History
Markets and Trends
Genres, platforms and franchises and how to read popularity.
The Evolution of Gaming Genres: A Statistical Analysis
See how game genres emerge, split and blend over time, and why the way you classify games can completely change what a genre popularity chart appears to show.
The Most Popular Gaming Franchises of the 21st Century
Learn why some game series last for decades through sequels, brand trust and shared worlds, and why franchise fatigue is a real risk for long-running series.
The Most Popular Gaming Genres of the 21st Century
A newcomer's tour of the major game genres and what players enjoy about each, with a reminder that popularity depends on whether you count players, hours or sales.
The Rise of Mobile Gaming: A Statistical Analysis
Why phones became a major gaming platform through access, short sessions and free downloads, and which metrics such as retention help you judge a mobile game.
Top 10 Most Played Video Games of the Decade
Learn how play counts are measured, from monthly active players to hours played, why top ten lists disagree, and how to judge any most-played games list.
Related topics