HowLongToBeat Crowns Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as 2025's Most Completed Game

The Unforeseen Champion of Completion

In a year brimming with anticipated releases and long-awaited sequels, the gaming community's collective dedication has been quantified, and a surprising victor has emerged. The ever-watchful eyes of HowLongToBeat, the go-to resource for gamers estimating playtime, have revealed the titles that captivated players the most in 2025, focusing not just on hype, but on the ultimate measure of engagement: completion.

Dominating the charts and snatching the coveted title of "Game of the Year" is Sandfall's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. This ambitious title not only garnered the most nominations but, more importantly, boasts the highest percentage of players who saw its narrative through to the very end. It's a testament to a game that truly resonated, pulling players into its world and compelling them to experience its entirety.

The Elite Tier of Player Dedication

Following closely in the footsteps of Clair Obscur are two other titans that clearly struck a chord with players. Hollow Knight: Silksong, a game that had already built a mountain of anticipation, secured a commendable second place, proving that patience indeed has its rewards for dedicated fans. Rounding out the top three is Donkey Kong Bananza, a delightful surprise that demonstrates the enduring appeal of classic franchises and family-friendly adventures.

The full top ten list of games most frequently completed in 2025 paints an intriguing picture of player preferences:

• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Donkey Kong Bananza
• Doom: The Dark Ages
• Dispatch
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• Mario Kart World
• Silent Hill f
• South of Midnight
• Hades 2

The Paradox of Anticipation: Most Delayed, Most Completed

Interestingly, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 also found itself at the pinnacle of another significant metric: the number of times players added it to their "will play later" lists. This dual-leadership highlights a fascinating dynamic – a game so compelling that players are eager to experience it, yet also so vast or demanding that they feel the need to schedule its completion.

Joining Clair Obscur in the ranks of heavily postponed titles are other highly anticipated games: Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, the rumored Oblivion Remastered, and the eagerly awaited Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. This suggests that while these games may be on many radars, their sheer scope or the commitment they require means many players are waiting for the perfect moment to dive in.

The complete list of most delayed games in 2025 also includes: Monster Hunter Wilds, Survivor 8, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Slime Rancher 2, and Doom: The Dark Ages.

The Games That Lost the Battle of Attrition

While many games inspired unwavering dedication, others, unfortunately, saw players fall by the wayside. The list of games most frequently abandoned mid-play is particularly noteworthy, featuring titles that likely presented significant challenges or perhaps didn't meet player expectations in the long run. Among these are the so-called "Sims killer" Persona 5: The Phantom X and Atomfall, which was marketed as a British take on the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. experience.

The full list of games most often dropped by players includes:

• Persona 5: The Phantom X — 16%
• Where Winds Meet — 14.7%
• Delta Force — 13.1%
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure — 10.6%
• inZOI — 10.2%
• Eternal Strands — 9.8%
• Blue Prince — 9.1%
• Avowed — 7.9%
• Atomfall — 7.7%
• The Precinct — 6.7%

The Dominance of PC and the Nostalgic Resurgence

Platform-wise, the 2025 gaming landscape remained firmly rooted in the digital realm, with PC continuing its reign as the undisputed king of user activity. The versatile and ever-popular Nintendo Switch secured a solid second place, followed by the powerhouse PlayStation 5 in third.

An intriguing shift, however, emerged in the activity levels of older consoles. Remarkably, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 saw higher user engagement than the more recent Xbox One and Xbox 360. This nostalgic resurgence speaks volumes about the enduring legacy of these consoles and the vast libraries they house. Rounding out the top ten platforms by user activity is the venerable, yet still beloved, portable gaming device, the Nintendo 3DS.