Data reveals gamer’s favorite classic plays

Research has revealed the games initially released in the days of Xbox 360 and PS3 that gamers are still the most keen to play in the modern era of Xbox Series X and PS5. 

The study by Spades.co analysed Google Keyword Planner data regarding searches for the top 100 games listed as backwards compatible on trueachievements.com. Searches that clearly showed the intention to buy, download, and play the games were counted, with terms analysed including searches like ‘Play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2’, ‘Download Assassin’s Creed’, and ‘Red Dead Redemption Xbox 360’. 

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the number one retro title that gamers are looking to replay. If the game’s iconic status was ever in question, it is solidified here. Globally, average monthly searches of the analysed terms regarding the Infinity Warddeveloped classic, released in 2009, were as high as 2,431,692, more than 600,000 higher than the next ranking game.

Assassin’s Creed is the second-ranking game, with gamer searches around the 2007 iconic game coming in at a monthly average of 1,765,606.

Plants vs. Zombies marks a slight aberration from the nature of the top ten classics but ranks in third with a huge average monthly search volume of 1,530,198.

Mortal Kombat comes in as the fourth most searched classic. The 2D fighting engine, which dates back as far as 1993, made its way onto Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles in 2011, and has racked up an average monthly search volume of 1,272,223.

In fifth comes a second CoD title in the form of Call of Duty: Ghosts, while not ordinarily worshipped in gaming history to the degree of MW2, Ghosts sees an average monthly search volume as high as 704,191. 

Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV ranks in sixth, the iconic Liberty City based open-world, third-person shooter receiving an average monthly search volume of 679,207. In seventh comes the 2008 survival horror by Visceral Games, Dead Space, with a global searches regarding the old generation icon coming in at an average 547,182.

The action-adventure Saints Row, developed by Volition and published by THQ comes in as the eighth most searched retro classic with a search volume of 520,904. This is followed by a second Rockstar entry with the original Red Dead Redemption in ninth. The open-world western that has since seen a prequel sees an average monthly search volume of 491,850. 

The final top ten spot is taken by the dark, fantasy action role-playing game Dark Souls which, released in 2011, still sees an average monthly search volume of 417,341.

A spokesperson from Spades.co commented on the findings: “It’s great to see these classic PS3 and Xbox 360 games still getting interest and play time as we move into the era of modern consoles, more than a decade after most of their original releases. Many gamers have treasured memories from particular titles they played growing up, and that will be the likely fuel for many of those seeking out these games to play. With this, it’s interesting to see which specific games are receiving such attention.”