Google’s most searched video game of 2024 isn’t what you’d expect

Despite all the sales and accolades, Black Myth: Wukong isn’t as high as you’d think (Game Science)

You may think you know the most popular games of the year, but Google’s own analytics tell a completely different story.

While tonight’s The Game Awards is poised to celebrate the last 12 months of gaming (when it’s not hyping up what’s to come in 2025 and beyond), Google’s own annual wrap-up paints a very different picture of the 2024 the games industry has had.

Google shared its breakdown of its most searched topics of 2024 on Thursday and its games section omits many of the biggest releases of the year.

Game of the Year nominees like Elden Ring’s Shadow Of The Erdtree and indie darling Balatro are nowhere to be seen, with the top 10 list dominated by something else entirely.

What was the highest-searching video game on Google in 2024?

Believe it or not, Google’s most searched game of the year is, of all things, the Connections game you can play on The New York Times website.

It’s not the only win for The New York Times either, with fellow puzzle game Strands coming in at eighth place. Maybe that should’ve been nominated for Game Of The Year? It did come out this past March.

Admittedly, Connections and Strands are not only free but offer a new bite-sized puzzle every day, making them ideal for literally anyone looking for a quick distraction.

Connections log in screen — Guess Wordle’s no longer the king (The New York Times)

What are the most searched for video games on Google in 2024?

When it comes to ‘traditional’ video games, only four made it into Google’s top 10; the first being Palworld in the number two spot. We’re surprised to see it that high since interest in it seemed to wane considerably, following its January release.

Then again, there was an awful lot of buzz surrounding its launch because of its Pokémon with guns concept. So even though it’s not that popular on Steam anymore (and probably not on consoles, if we had the stats) it was big enough earlier in the year to make the list.

After that is Helldivers 2 in fifth place, which was also a massive live service hit at launch, that has somewhat faded from the public eye in recent months.

It’s then followed by two Chinese-developed titles: gacha game Wuthering Waves and action role-player Black Myth: Wukong in sixth and seventh place, the latter being the only Game of the Year nominee on the list.

Google’s most searched video games of 2024

Connections
Palworld
Infinite Craft
Sprunki
Helldivers 2
Wuthering Waves
Black Myth: Wukong
Strands
Brawl Stars
PokéRogue

There is one mobile exclusive game in the top 10, and it’s 2018’s Brawl Stars, a free-to-play multiplayer shooter from Finnish studio Supercell, the same company behind the seemingly immortal Clash Of Clans.

The rest of the list is filled up by other free browser games: Infinite Craft (where players combine different elements to create new ones), Sprunki (some kind of rhythm game we’ve never even heard of), and PokéRogue, a fan-made roguelike version of Pokémon that, strangely, Nintendo hasn’t threatened with legal action.

We’re not sure what to take away from this list (or if there’s anything to take away) but there is something amusing in seeing companies like Sony and Microsoft pump millions of dollars into cutting edge tech and live service games only to be outdone by simple puzzle games with zero monetisation.

Although the presence of games like Helldivers 2 and Wuthering Waves may continue to incentivise some companies’ obsession with live service titles, it does at last seem as if the likes of Sony and Warner Bros. are finally beginning to lose interest.