'Gaming with KookminTree' presents the big data game rankings for the third week of September 2025. KookminTree curates these rankings weekly based on search big data from major web portals. Take a look at which titles have been grabbing the most attention from gamers this week.

Mobile – A Chart Settling into Stillness

Hello. Here is the third weekly big data game ranking for September 2025. The mobile gaming charts have seen a significant reduction in movement. The stagnation we teased last week has truly set in; a week later, in the third week of September, ranking shifts have become even rarer. In fact, within the TOP 10, aside from the swap between 'Seven Knights Re:BIRTH' and 'Yulgang: Return', there has been absolutely no change.

The mobile game chart is usually the most volatile among the four categories tracked by our weekly big data rankings. We are accustomed to seeing new titles debut at number one or even double-digit fluctuations. Given that history, this current sense of calm is quite startling.

However, there was some impressive activity outside the top 10. First, we have a new debut: 'The King of Fighters AFK', serviced by Netmarble. It is a character-collecting mobile RPG that reimagines the beloved 'The King of Fighters' IP with a retro 2D pixel art style, focusing on the joy of assembling and levelling up fighters from the series.

The King of Fighters AFK launched on September 4, and by the 15th, it hit number one on the domestic Google Play popularity chart. It has also performed strongly in markets across Asia. With this momentum, it will be interesting to see how it fares in the coming weeks.

Additionally, 'Trickcal Revive' climbed 5 spots, making a move toward the mid-tier. The recent 2nd-anniversary event seems to have sparked a surge in search volume. With a special video reveal on the 19th and an offline event starting on the 26th for three days, player interest is expected to remain high.

Online – Three Titles Facing a Slide

Interestingly, the online gaming sector saw more position changes this week than the mobile charts mentioned above. While the margin of fluctuation was certainly modest, the results are quite intriguing. The traditional battleground of 5th to 9th place in the TOP 10 was chaotic; only 'Valorant' held its ground at 7th, while the other four spots changed hands. As we often say, the competition is very much 'ongoing'.

Outside the top 10, the trend was defined by falling titles rather than rising ones. Since all ascents were limited to just a single spot, the gains seen by some titles can be interpreted as mere side effects of others sliding down, rather than any internal surge in popularity.

Notable titles on the decline include 'Diablo 4' (18th, -3), 'Final Fantasy 14' (23rd, -2), and 'Supervive' (30th, -4). They all share a common thread: they were riding high on updates or major milestones, but have recently lost their momentum.

Of the three, Supervive is particularly noteworthy, as it managed to break into the top 10 as recently as mid-August, buoyed by its official release. As a rare new entry in the online gaming scene, it commanded significant attention. However, it failed to keep the engine running after the initial hype faded, sliding down to 30th in the third week of September. Whether it can play a new card to reverse this trend remains to be seen.

Steam – A Major Rookie for Three Consecutive Weeks!

You may have heard the term 'Cornucopia'—a mythical vessel from which an endless supply of treasure flows. In sports, it’s often used to describe a string of exceptional rookies appearing back-to-back. The Steam chart for September is, quite frankly, exactly that.

Following 'Super Robot Wars Y' in the first week and 'Hollow Knight: Silksong' in the second, this week sees a major rookie named 'Borderlands 4' debut on the chart. Its debut ranking is 10th, a solid performance that keeps pace with the previous two, which debuted at 5th and 2nd, respectively.

Borderlands 4 launched on September 12. It had been hovering at the top of the global Steam bestseller list for nearly a month, and from September 9—just before its launch—it firmly held the number one spot. It is no surprise that a major entry in such a popular IP would draw this level of interest.

Despite the anticipation, Borderlands 4 has had a somewhat rocky start. Initial reviews have settled into a 'Mixed' state. It has not managed to escape technical issues: users are reporting errors during shader compilation and failing to maintain 60 frames per second even on high-end graphics cards. Furthermore, game crashes have been a frequent complaint. For long-term success, the developer will need to address these hurdles with haste.

Pre-registration – Aion 2 Debuts at Number One

A blockbuster title has hit the pre-registration charts: NCSoft's new game, 'Aion 2'. The previously shrouded details were finally unveiled in a broadcast on August 8, covering PvP, PvE, customization, and gameplay footage. Then, on September 11, a third broadcast confirmed the release date as November 19. Naturally, this triggered a massive spike in search volume upon the start of pre-registration.

Aion 2 has claimed the top spot in its first week of tracking, effectively leaving its competitors in the dust. Existing titles like 'The Starlight' and 'R2 Origin', which held the top two spots just a week ago, have been pushed down the list. We shall wait and see if this dominance continues until the launch of Aion 2, or if another major title will arrive to shake up the chart.