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Sep 1, 2025

Top 10 Popular Horror Video Games (Updated 2025)

Explore the 10 popular horror video games, their earnings, their impact on culture, and why venture capital firms are investing in the future of horror gaming.

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Are you looking for popular horror video games?

Horror video games have scared players for years. 

They mix fear, storytelling, and excitement into memorable experiences. 

From early survival horror games to today’s AAA-budget titles, this genre is now a billion-dollar part of the video game industry. 

In this article, we’ll look at the top 10 popular horror video games, how much money they have made, and why investment firms like Konvoy are paying attention to this area.

If you want to learn how to invest in gaming, including horror games and new technologies, check out Konvoy’s detailed guide.

Why Horror Games Are So Popular?

Horror video games pull players into scary and suspenseful experiences. 

This is why millions of people have tried this genre at least once.

One main reason for their popularity is that popular games like Silent Hill and The Last of Us have strong stories that make players care about the characters.

Horror games are also popular on platforms like Twitch and YouTube, where viewers enjoy watching creators scream, react, and survive scary moments.

On the other hand, games like Alien: Isolation use smart AI to create tension, while VR experiences in Phasmophobia offer unique gameplay.

This combination explains why horror games continue to sell well and attract investment.

Top 10 Popular Horror Video Games

Each game on this list has changed the industry in some way, helping new titles to emerge.

Horror games have appeared in flash games, RPGs, and even blockchain games.

But let’s explore which ones are the most popular.

1. Resident Evil Series

  • Earnings: As of 2025, the franchise has grossed over $11 billion, with around $8 billion from video games and about $3 billion from films.

Resident Evil is a survival horror franchise where players fight against zombies, bioweapons, and evil corporations. 

This series is one of the most influential and successful horror game franchises, and it has expanded into films, novels, and merchandise.

Why is it the most popular? 

Capcom’s Resident Evil set the standard for survival horror games. 

Its combination of puzzles, zombies, and managing resources created a model that many other games have followed.

2. Silent Hill Series

  • Earnings: Estimated to exceed $2 billion from games and film adaptations.

Silent Hill is known for its atmosphere and storytelling.

Players face disturbing monsters and uncover mysteries that reflect the characters’ personal struggles.

Revivals of classic franchises, such as Silent Hill through remakes and reboots, attract attention from investors because they can transform old properties into profitable multimedia brands.

3. Dead by Daylight

  • Earnings: Exceeds $1 billion since launch. 

This is an online multiplayer game where one player is a killer and four others are survivors trying to escape. 

The game features well-known horror villains through special collaborations, creating a “living horror playground.” 

Regular updates and partnerships, like those with Stranger Things and Resident Evil, keep the game exciting and focused on the community's input for monetization.

4. The Last of Us (and Part II)

  • Earnings: Over $1.3 billion from games alone, with HBO’s adaptation significantly increasing its value.

This is a survival-action series that combines emotional storytelling with horror. 

Players explore a post-apocalyptic world filled with infected humans and build deep connections with characters. 

5. Dead Space Series

  • Earnings: Below $500 million across games and merchandise.

Even if it is not the most profitable option, it still has legendary popularity.

This is a sci-fi horror game set on abandoned spaceships that are full of terrifying alien creatures called “Necromorphs.”

The 2023 remake of this sci-fi horror game has sparked renewed interest among fans.

6. Outlast Series

  • Earnings: $80–100 million from all revenue sources.

This first-person horror game traps players in scary facilities, where they only have a camcorder to rely on. 

This game is all about sneaking around and staying alive, no weapons in sight. That’s why streamers love it so much.

What makes this series interesting is how it showed Venture Capital firms that small indie studios can succeed in the horror genre by using smart design and viral marketing.

7. Until Dawn

  • Earnings: More than $100 million in sales.

This is an interactive horror game where eight friends are trapped in a mountain lodge and face supernatural threats.

Players make choices that decide who survives, providing great replay value.

Until Dawn also shows how interactive storytelling can blend gaming with a movie-like narrative.

8. Alien: Isolation

  • Earnings: The game is expected to earn over $50 million worldwide.

It is praised for its realistic recreation of Ridley Scott’s Alien atmosphere. 

The game features a highly effective AI-driven xenomorph antagonist, which creates constant tension and fear.

9. Five Nights at Freddy’s

  • Earnings: The franchise has earned over $1 billion from its games, films, and merchandise. 

This game features simple mechanics but creates a terrifying atmosphere. 

The franchise is unique because of its cultural impact, making it very popular among younger players. 

This success also shows venture capitalists and private investors how indie horror games can lead to billion-dollar industries.

10. Phasmophobia

  • Earnings: It has surpassed 25 million copies sold and $200 million in revenue.

Players work together to investigate haunted places using tools like EMF readers and spirit boxes in a ghost-hunting simulation. 

The VR experience of Phasmophobia reflects the growing interest in immersive gaming technologies, with companies like Konvoy, which invest in gaming, keeping a close eye on these opportunities.

In Summary 

The top 10 popular horror video games shape the genre and show how much money can be made in gaming.

Games like Resident Evil and indie hits like Five Nights at Freddy’s bring in billions of dollars and attract many fans.

That’s why companies like Konvoy invest in new ideas for gaming.

Want more information about gaming investments? Subscribe to Konvoy’s Newsletter.

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