It’s no surprise when popular, established game franchises do well. However, new games are constantly emerging, and a few consistently impress players. In 2025, several new titles appeared, and TopMob has highlighted one unexpected success as the standout.
Every year when January rolls around, you can always count on the big names like Call of Duty and EA FC to fly off the shelves and stay popular. And of course, we’re still waiting for games like Hollow Knight: Silksong! But as a fan, I think it’s awesome to take a moment and appreciate the games that didn’t get quite as much hype – the ones that still really made an impact on us.
Biggest Surprise Hit of 2025 Winner—Dispatch
We’ve seen comedies set in offices, families, schools, and all sorts of places, but a comedy about the day-to-day lives of superheroes feels like a fresh idea. ‘The Boys’ really shook up the superhero genre, and ‘Dispatch,’ which lets you experience and customize that world, sounds fantastic in concept.
With a development team including veterans from Telltale Games, the puzzle adventure game Dispatch was poised for success. It quickly became a major hit in 2025, selling over 2 million copies in its first month and earning a Metacritic score of 89/100. The developers confidently predict it will surpass its projected three-year sales goals in just three months—an incredibly fast pace.
Dispatch is a highly replayable and engaging game that really makes you consider the consequences of your choices. It’s surprisingly deep and offers more content than even the most acclaimed Telltale games. While future AdHoc titles will likely face higher expectations given the developer’s proven skill, Dispatch is a well-deserved winner for 2025.
Best Surprise Hit Game of 2025 Nominations
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
It feels like everyone is including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 on their ‘best of 2025’ lists – it’s become quite predictable! The game’s success is undeniable, having broken records at The Game Awards and sold 5 million copies. At the start of 2025, very few people knew about Clair Obscur, or the studio behind it, Sandfall Interactive.
By late 2025, the game’s success is widely recognized, even by the French President. What sets Dispatch apart from its competitor, also named Dispatch, is its originality. Plus, the team behind Sandfall includes several people who used to work at Ubisoft, though Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is a strong contender.
Donkey Kong Bananza
The Donkey Kong series is a classic that everyone enjoys. After more than four decades, its core gameplay is well-established. With Bananza, Nintendo took a risk by creating a fully 3D platformer where the environment can be broken apart. While the game was unlikely to be bad, few people expected it to be a huge hit.
Donkey Kong Bananza is the best-rated game in the Donkey Kong series, earning numerous award nominations, including several for Game of the Year. While the Donkey Kong name is well-respected, this new release has likely prompted Nintendo to reconsider the future of the franchise.
ARC Raiders
Several games have attempted to replicate the challenging and immersive experience of Escape From Tarkov, but none have truly succeeded. Call of Duty’s DMZ didn’t make much of an impact, and while Gray Zone Warfare showed promise, it quickly lost players. “Escape From Duckov” – a similar, smaller game – actually has a comparable player base, but ARC Raiders feels different. It’s genuinely impressive.
Players and critics alike have loved ARC Raiders since its initial testing and release – a truly impressive accomplishment. Embark Studios is also doing a great job supporting the game with updates and changes that the community appreciates. If you think ARC Raiders is the biggest surprise hit of 2025, TopMob wouldn’t disagree!
That brings us to the end of our look back at 2025. What game or release surprised you the most? Do you think we missed any obvious contenders? Share your thoughts and nominations on the TopMob Discord server!
For more gaming recommendations, check out our lists of the top games similar to Escape From Tarkov, the best hack and slash titles, and a ranked list of every Battlefield game from least to most enjoyable.
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2025-12-30 19:19