Free Online Games Can Make Real Money

While the world goes on around us and the seasons change, the online world stays the same. With social media constantly changing the games industry and new titles being released all the time, it can be difficult to keep track of what’s trending and what will be around in a year’s time.

Fortunately, we can use Google Trends to keep track of game trends and determine what’s popular now. The data provided by Google Trends shows us how the general public is searching for games, revealing everything from which game genres are popular to what platforms people are playing on.

Trending Games

Nowadays, people are using social media to discover new games. In the past, people mainly discovered games through word of mouth or through gameplay videos that were shared via blogs or websites. With the rise of TikTok and other similar platforms, people are now able to discover games via short clips showcasing gameplay.

As can be seen in the graph below, the most popular game in the past month has been Minecraft, followed by PUBG and Fortnite.

According to Google Trends, the public is also searching for games on mobile phones. This might not be a huge surprise as lots of mobile games have been released in the last year and many of them have become mainstream titles. What is surprising is that mobile games have been eclipsing their console counterparts in terms of search interest.

Generation Game-Youth Vs. Adults

Based on their search interests, it’s clear that the youth are playing games. While younger generations have been raised on mobile phones and social media, older generations might still prefer to discover games via traditional methods. According to Statista, there are currently about 150 million American adults between the ages of 25 and 64.

Even though this number is comparatively small, it’s still a considerable portion of the population. Based on their search interests, these adults are likely to be playing older console games that they might not have had the opportunity to experience in the past. Perhaps the rise of mobile games has made these titles easier to download and play on smaller devices. Either way, online games can and probably will continue to grow in popularity as more and more people become familiar with them.

Genre Wars

Based on their search interests, it’s also apparent that gamers are favoring certain genres over others. As mentioned above, Minecraft has been the most popular game in the past month, followed by PUBG and Fortnite.

It’s interesting to note that these three titles are completely different games, yet they managed to rise to the top of the search rankings. One can assume that this is due to the popularity of these games among the public. As fans of these titles, one might conclude that they appeal to a wide audience and therefore have the potential to be successful.

One might think that games involving a lot of violence would be high on the public’s radar, but it’s actually been shown that the opposite applies. According to a report by Mashable titled, “How Video Game Advertising Is Changing,” video games involving romance or a love story struggle to make it in terms of online search rankings. Yet, these are the types of games that have been most successful when it comes to sales (i.e. Fortnite, Grand Theft Auto, and Call of Duty).

Game Genres Galore

Whether or not one assumes that the public is becoming more familiarized with online games due to the increased popularity of smartphone cameras, it’s clear that there is a wide variety of games available. Based on their search interests, gamers seem to be exploring a variety of genres, including but not limited to the following:

• First-Person Shooter (FPS)
  • Battle Royale
    • Call of Duty
      • Doom
        • Gears of War
          • High Score
            • Monster Hunter
              • Robo Rally
                • Shadowgun
                  • Star Trek: Bridge Commander
                    • The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

            It would be a missed opportunity if all games fell under the same category of ‘interactive entertainment’ because there is so much more to gaming than meets the eye. While the data provided by Google Trends is very interesting and probably helpful to game developers, industry analysts, and investors, it’s also important to remember that these results are primarily based on search interest.

            Due to their interactive nature, online games could become more popular in the future, but it’s also possible that they will decline in relevance as more and more people discover the joys of a traditional game console.