The top 20 online games Americans are most obsessed with

With the rise of e-sports and streaming platforms, online gaming is bigger than ever! But what are American gamers actually playing? 

Roblox: Rise of the Child Gamers 

Despite first releasing two decades ago, Roblox is America’s most searched for online game with an impressive 137,467 searches per 100,000 people, outlasting tons of iconic Y2K games. 

If you haven’t heard of Roblox, you probably don’t spend much time around kids or teens. In 2020, The New York Times reported that more than half of American children under 16 were playing Roblox. 

Roblox is an online platform that allows users to create, share, and play games created by other users, similar to Epic Games (Fortnite) and Minecraft.

The appeal of this is that it offers a wide array of user-generated games across various genres, fostering creativity and social interaction among its younger community. 

While Fortnite is age rated 13+, Roblox is 7+. Plus, the simple artstyle screams child-friendly, making it an easier yes for parents. 

Fortnite, Need We Say More?

Taking second place in America is Fortnite with 31,161 searches per 100,000 people. Second place may surprise you, but this is actually only true in the US. Worldwide, Fortnite is the most popular game right now, with over 500 million players in 2023.

Fortnite released in 2017 as a battle royale game, a genre where players compete to be the last person or team standing in a shrinking playable area. Players start with minimal equipment and must scavenge for weapons, armor, and other resources while eliminating opponents to survive.

It’s certainly changed a lot since then as Epic Games has grown more into a platform than a single game, offering multiple game modes including a Guitar Hero-esque rhythm game and a Rocket League racing game. It also encourages the creation of user-generated games.

More Building: Minecraft

The third most popular game in the USA is Minecraft, a sandbox video game that allows players to build and explore virtual worlds made of blocks. 

Think of it like LEGO, but with the ability to create entire playable worlds. In fact, LEGO has partnered with Minecraft in the past to release Minecraft sets. 

According to our data, Minecraft generates 30,334 searches per 100,000 US citizens. Many people search for building inspiration or tutorials to make their own incredible creations. 

Standout Series

Our top 20 list also includes several massively popular gaming franchises with multiple titles. First is Call of Duty. Across its 21 titles, it generates 6,231. With 30 titles since 1993, FIFA generates 5,124, though it’s since been replaced by EA Sports FC. 

Top Genre: First & Third Person Shooters

According to the data, first and third person shooters are the most popular online games in the USA. While neither Fortnite or Roblox are officially shooters, Fortnite’s gameplay features a lot of different guns, while Roblox has user-generated game modes that make this possible (without parental controls). 

Californians Love Variety

Four of the games on our list were most searched for from California: League of Legends, Ghost of Tsushima, Mario Kart, and Skribbl.io. Each of these four games is a completely different genre, bringing tons of variety to Californian gamers.

Oregon and Maryland also have pretty diverse tastes, generating the most searches for several games. In Oregon, Animal Crossing and Valheim are very popular, while in Maryland, Grand Theft Auto and Hell Divers.   

Cities with the Most Gamers

Our research also uncovered the cities that have the most gamers. This title is held by Miami, Florida, sitting in the top 3 for 18/20 games listed. Miami is followed by Orlando, the fourth-most populated city in Florida. 

It’s safe to say that the Sunshine State has the most social online gamers, while Vermont has the least, despite being the most obsessed with card games. 

Besides its extensive player base, Florida is also the home of the most popular online games streamer in the world, Ninja. Richard Tyler Blevins, better known as Ninja, has over 19 million followers on his Twitch channel.

Cities with Least Gamers 

The city least interested in online gaming is Kansas City, Missouri, which is surprising given the fact they organize esports competitions each year.

The city hosts the Kansas City Corporate Esports Cup, a summer series of esports competitions to challenge companies throughout the KC area to compete against each other.

The city with the second fewest online games is Arlington, Texas.