The arrival of Hollow Knight: Silksong and Borderlands 4 signifies the end of a lengthy summer lull for major game releases, which typically extends from April to August when few highly anticipated titles emerge.

Despite the lack of releases, numerous excellent games come out low during this period, the big hits usually gather around early and late in the year, primarily in February and October. According to a recent report from gaming industry analyst firm Newzoo, this scheduling approach is causing “avoidable cannibalization” as multiple titles compete for attention and revenue at the same time.

Newzoo’s findings suggest that game publishers could improve their strategy by spacing out releases across the calendar, particularly focusing on months like May, which fall largely ignored yet produce satisfactory results for those who dare to take the plunge. With 936 million anticipated players by 2025 and a noticeable uptick in Gen Alpha’s interest in PC gaming, the potential for expansion is evident.

The complete findings are detailed in Newzoo’s 2025 Global Games Market Report, where they argue that late-year releases typically underperform compared to earlier months, urging publishers to reconsider their timelines.

For full details, check out the Global Games Market Report here.