What is PC Gaming Show Most Wanted
The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted (often abbreviated PC Gaming Show Most Wanted) comes out each year at the end of the year. PC Gamer runs the entire showcase. Instead of a traditional release-focused event, this edition highlights the top 25 upcoming PC games. They are selected not by publishers or marketing budgets, but by a special group called The Council. You can also check out our look at the most exciting hidden games revealed at PC Gaming Show 2025 for a closer look at under-the-radar titles.
The event mixes the countdown reveal with trailers, new announcements, and behind-the-scenes glimpses. In 2025, the show will broadcast on December 4 and PC Gamer will stream it live on YouTube, Twitch, Steam, and several other platforms. Viewers will get both the ranked list and a broader showcase of more than 50 games in development.
How PC Gamer builds the longlist: from internal picks to The Council
Longlist creation by PC Gamer staff
Before the public sees anything, the PC Gamer editorial team compiles a longlist of roughly 100 upcoming PC games. These are games that are still unreleased (or not yet in Early Access), and that the staff believes show promise. Selection criteria include initial reception, Steam wishlists, creative premise, developer pedigree, uniqueness, and overall potential
By doing this internal filtering, the process ensures the final pool is already curated, avoiding noise from thousands of small/very early projects. It also helps balance between high-profile games and under-the-radar experiments or indie titles.
Voting by The Council
Once the longlist is ready, The Council steps in. This panel includes a mix of veteran game-industry developers, content creators, critics, and PC Gamer’s own editors. Past members have included legends like Sid Meier, Tim Schafer, Brenda Romero, as well as independent developers and well-known content creators.
Each Council member reviews the games and gives a score from 1 to 5 based on how excited they are about each title. The scale is roughly:
- 5: Maximum hype, intense interest
- 4: Looks excellent
- 3: Looks really good
- 2: Promising and interesting
- 1: Mildly optimistic / curious
- 0 (or abstain): no interest or outside scope
Importantly, the decision is not purely about hype or popularity. The voting also accounts for “release certainty”, how likely the game is to actually launch soon or on a believable schedule. Games with vague or no release windows tend to be weighted lower, even if they generate a lot of excitement. The number of votes (i.e. how many Council members rated the title) also influences the final outcome.
Why the process matters for gamers and the industry
It curates beyond marketing budgets
Because The Council is composed of developers, critics and content-creators rather than marketing executives, the “Most Wanted” list is more about genuine interest and creative promise than pre-order numbers or ad spend. That allows smaller or indie titles, ones that may not dominate headlines- to get spotlighted alongside big AAA names. Especially for gamers who want to find under-the-radar gems, this makes PC Gaming Show Most Wanted a valuable source.
It balances hype with realism
Not all “hyped” games are equally likely to launch soon. By factoring in release certainty, the list tends to favour games with real potential to ship, which helps avoid disappointment. For players making wish-lists, pre-orders, or simply planning future purchases, this gives more reliable signals.
It reflects industry-insider judgment
Seeing which games get high scores from seasoned developers and creators gives insight into what the industry itself thinks deserves attention. For readers interested in gaming trends, e.g., what kinds of games devs themselves are excited about, the PC Gaming Show Most Wanted becomes more than a hype list.
It creates a shared reference for “what to watch next”
For PC gamers building a backlog or looking for next-year releases, a curated, credible list is more useful than random trailers or scattered teasers. It helps to identify titles worth tracking and offers a more manageable “top games to keep an eye on” list leading into the coming year.
What we know about the 2025 Council selection
According to latest announcements about PC Gaming Show Most Wanted 2025, this edition will rely on a panel of over 120 journalists, industry professionals, celebrities, and content creators, making it one of the largest Councils so far.
The process remains the same: longlist by PC Gamer, then weighted voting by Council, with release certainty and number of votes factored in.
Among the games expected on the longlist are heavy-hitter PC titles as well as lesser-known projects, showing that the upcoming list will likely span AAA, mid-tier, and indie games.
That mix reinforces the value of PC Gaming Show Most Wanted for a broad audience: from hardcore fans watching AAA franchises to players interested in indie and experimental games.
