What’s hot in gaming fluctuates frequently and sometimes dramatically. The insanity that followed the PlayStation 5 release has cooled down. Mobile games bring in a lot of revenue but they’re simple and usually not for serious gamers. Fewer people are interested in spending a lot of money for a physical PC or console game that they aren’t sure they’ll enjoy.
So, where does that leave us? As it turns out, browser games are having a bit of a moment. Many people thought that the death of Adobe Flash meant that browser games were going to fade away. Instead, the rise of HTML5 has made browser games better and more accessible than ever.
Since browser games are often free to play and funded by advertising or in-game purchases, they are usually created by indie studios or hobbyists. Unlike the releases from AAA studios, browser games aren’t launched with a lot of fanfare, so it can sometimes take years from when they’re released to when they start trending.
Here are some of the trending browser games coming in 2025 and some of the browser games that we’re enjoying in 2024 that will probably see a spike in popularity next year.
Tanuki Sunset
Tanuki Sunset is all about the vibe. This third-person longboard skateboarding game has the player guide a tanuki (a Japanese raccoon-like critter) along an endless road. Fuel up by catching snacks, avoid trucks and cars, take jumps for air points, rescue baby raccoons and more. The game is set in a synthwave dreamscape. The soundtrack completes the mood.
For those familiar with the legends of the tanuki, don’t worry – the developers have tidied up the raccoon dog’s image. Rewind Games has a hit with this one.
Bigger and Better Slot Games
Online casinos have gone fully mainstream. With a mainstream audience comes competition and a further incentive to produce high-quality games. Since going digital, game developers have been competing against each other to create the best, most unique, most innovative, and most addictive slots.
We’ve seen a lot of trends in slot machine games in recent years. Progressive jackpot slots where every player is contributing to the same massive prize pool and Megaways slots with thousands of paylines are two of the leading trends today. We’re not entirely sure what 2025 will bring but it will probably be epic.
James Hall is an expert on casino slot games who maintains an updated list of the hottest new slot game releases. Some of the titles that are at the top of his current list are Keys to the Sea, Double Goal, Top Dawg$, and Forging Wilds. Players who are interested in trying these slots (and many other new titles!) can play demo versions through the link above.
Storage Hunter Simulator
A&E’s Storage Wars is a reality TV sensation that combines the thrill of an auction with the mystery of a blind box opening. Storage Hunter Simulator is hoping to capture that experience for its players. The game has just been released amid a lot of eager anticipation.
You play as a storage hunter. The goal is to bid on and win storage units and then resell the contents for a profit. Once you’ve become the king of the storage yard, there’s even the option to open your own pawn shop to extend your empire.
The Planet Crafter
The Planet Crafter is a relaxing escape from the everyday. In the game, you play as a space explorer tasked with making a planet habitable. There are several difficulty levels, so you can play as a laidback Terraformer or make it a more intense experience.
The gameplay is varied. In order to make the planet habitable, the player needs to survive its hostile conditions and build structures and machines to find and collect resources and store necessary supplies. It sounds complicated, but once you get into the groove of the game, it all makes sense, and it’s easy to work out the steps you need to take to create a thriving ecosystem.
Planet: Humble is The Planet Crafter’s latest DLC expansion pack. It adds a new world to explore, with its own secrets and story to unlock. There are new biomes and plenty of other surprises for players.
Cookie Clicker
Cookie Clicker isn’t a new game, but every few years, it starts trending again as a new group of players are introduced to this clicker that’s just as addictive as a fresh chocolate chip cookie. Cookie Clicker is an idle clicker game with a very simple goal – collect as many cookies as possible.
The best thing about Cookie Clicker is how unhinged it becomes over time. You start out clicking a few cookies and recruiting a few friendly grandmothers to bake more cookies for you until you have enough cookies to open a factory. Then, the next thing you know, the grandmas have summoned an eldritch horror, and your cookies are opening portals through time.
It’s a great game for players looking for something simple that is still full of creativity. Just keep an eye on those grandmas!