Gaming platforms:Which brands are most popular in search?
In August 2026, Xbox was the most searched among gaming platforms worldwide, with an estimated 7.5M branded searches and 45.8% estimated Share of Search within this set. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
Xbox45.8%
PlayStation30.6%
Nintendo Switch20.5%
Steam2.3%
GOG0.83%
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Share of SearchLeaderboard
Compare the platforms people buy and play games on. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Steam. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Xbox | PlayStation | Nintendo Switch | Steam | GOG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 44.2% | 29.5% | 24.1% | 1.2% | 0.97% |
| Nov 2025 | 44.2% | 29.6% | 24.2% | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 41.2% | 33.7% | 22.5% | 1.7% | 0.91% |
| Jan 2026 | 45.9% | 30.7% | 20.6% | 1.8% | 1% |
| Feb 2026 | 42.9% | 35% | 19.2% | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| Mar 2026 | 37% | 30.2% | 30.2% | 1.5% | 1% |
| Apr 2026 | 41.3% | 33.8% | 22.6% | 1.4% | 0.91% |
| May 2026 | 39.3% | 32.1% | 26.2% | 1.6% | 0.87% |
| Jun 2026 | 45.3% | 30.3% | 20.3% | 3.3% | 0.82% |
| Jul 2026 | 43.5% | 35.6% | 16% | 3.9% | 0.96% |
| Aug 2026 | 45.8% | 30.6% | 20.5% | 2.3% | 0.83% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
This month’s ranking, August 2026
| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | vs prior month | Share change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1, held 1st | 45.8% | 7.5M | 0% | +2.3 points | |
| 2, held 2nd | 30.6% | 5M | -18.3% | -5 points | |
| 3, held 3rd | 20.5% | 3.4M | +22.3% | +4.6 points | |
| 4, held 4th | 2.3% | 368K | -45.3% | -1.7 points | |
| 5, held 5th | 0.83% | 135K | -18.2% | -0.1 points |
1.
Xbox45.8%
Held 1st. 7.5M estimated branded searches, 0% vs prior month. Share +2.3 points.
30.6%
Held 2nd. 5M estimated branded searches, -18.3% vs prior month. Share -5 points.
20.5%
Held 3rd. 3.4M estimated branded searches, +22.3% vs prior month. Share +4.6 points.
4.
Steam2.3%
Held 4th. 368K estimated branded searches, -45.3% vs prior month. Share -1.7 points.
5.
GOG0.83%
Held 5th. 135K estimated branded searches, -18.2% vs prior month. Share -0.1 points.
Compare search popularity between leading brands
- Xbox vs PlayStation: compare search popularity
- Xbox vs Nintendo Switch: compare search popularity
- Xbox vs Steam: compare search popularity
- PlayStation vs Nintendo Switch: compare search popularity
- PlayStation vs Steam: compare search popularity
- Nintendo Switch vs Steam: compare search popularity
- Compare any of these brands
Which brand is most popular in search among gaming platforms worldwide?
5 brands
In August 2026, Xbox was the most searched among gaming platforms worldwide, with an estimated 7.5M branded searches and 45.8% estimated Share of Search within this set. PlayStation is in 2nd place, 15.2 percentage points behind at 30.6% Share of Search.
| Brand | Share of Search | Peak | Low | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox | 44.2% → 45.8% | 45.9%Jan 2026 | 37%Mar 2026 | 1st |
| PlayStation | 29.5% → 30.6% | 35.6%Jul 2026 | 29.5%Oct 2025 | 2nd |
| Nintendo Switch | 24.1% → 20.5% | 30.2%Mar 2026 | 16%Jul 2026 | 3rd |
| Steam | 1.2% → 2.3% | 3.9%Jul 2026 | 1.2%Oct 2025 | 4th |
| GOG | 0.97% → 0.83% | 1.2%Feb 2026 | 0.8%Nov 2025 | 5th |
Each finding as a sentence
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Xbox’s estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide increased from 44.2% to 45.8%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, PlayStation’s estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide increased from 29.5% to 30.6%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Nintendo Switch’s estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide decreased from 24.1% to 20.5%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Steam’s estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide increased from 1.2% to 2.3%.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Xbox’s estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide peaked at 45.9% in January 2026 and was lowest at 37% in March 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, PlayStation’s estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide peaked at 35.6% in July 2026 and was lowest at 29.5% in October 2025.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Nintendo Switch’s estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide peaked at 30.2% in March 2026 and was lowest at 16% in July 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Steam’s estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide peaked at 3.9% in July 2026 and was lowest at 1.2% in October 2025.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, GOG held steady: its estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide moved less than 0.5 percentage points.
How did search popularity change for gaming platforms worldwide in August 2026?
5 changes
In August 2026, Nintendo Switch gained estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide, from 16% to 20.5%.
In August 2026, Xbox gained estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide, from 43.5% to 45.8%.
In August 2026, PlayStation lost estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide, from 35.6% to 30.6%.
In August 2026, Steam lost estimated Share of Search among gaming platforms worldwide, from 3.9% to 2.3%.
Estimated monthly branded searches for GOG worldwide fell 18.2% over 11 measured months, from 165K to 135K in August 2026.
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