Minecraft Tops Study of Most Addictive PS5 Games, With Players Logging 277 Hours

Minecraft has emerged as the most addictive game on PlayStation 5, according to a November 2026 gaming engagement study released by Zero1, a live-streaming platform. The research examined how much time players spend on popular PS5 titles, how frequently they return to their favorite games, and how far they progress through available achievements.

The findings place Minecraft comfortably ahead of several major gaming releases, including Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, ARC Raiders, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and Helldivers 2.

According to the study, a typical multiplayer Minecraft player spends approximately 277 hours playing the game. This figure is significantly higher than the reported playtime for the other games included in the top five.

The research also highlights the continued popularity of multiplayer experiences and open-ended gameplay. While some games are built around completing a defined storyline, Minecraft offers an environment where players can continue exploring, constructing, experimenting, and creating new experiences long after their initial objectives have been completed.

The study arrives at a time when video games remain a major part of American entertainment culture. Its introductory findings indicate that 67% of Americans play video games for at least one hour every week.

How Zero1 Determined the Most Addictive PS5 Games

To identify the PlayStation 5 games that players find hardest to abandon, Zero1 analyzed 35 of the most downloaded titles from 2024 and 2025.

Rather than relying entirely on sales figures, user reviews, or popularity rankings, the research examined player engagement through several measurable indicators.

The study considered the amount of time players spent on each title, including typical hours played. It also assessed how many owners were still actively playing, how frequently players returned to their games, and how much progress they had made toward completing available trophies.

Trophy completion was particularly important because it provided an indication of how deeply players had engaged with a game's available content.

These measurements were combined into a single Addiction Score ranging from 0 to 1. Games with higher scores were considered more successful at maintaining player engagement.

Minecraft achieved the highest score of 0.98, putting it substantially ahead of the other games in the research.

It is important to note that the Addiction Score represents the study's own engagement model. It is not a clinical assessment of gaming addiction or a diagnosis of problematic gaming behavior.

Top 10 Most Addictive PlayStation 5 Games in 2026

The following table summarizes the ten highest-ranked games in Zero1's research, including their tracked player numbers, average playtime, engagement indicators, and overall scores.

Game	Tracked players	Hours played	Still playing	Replay share	Drop-off	Trophy completion	Score
Minecraft	9,151	277	1.9%	9.6%	12.8%	20%	0.98
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth	5,173	88	4.6%	1.8%	2.0%	57%	0.79
ARC Raiders	670	90	18.8%	3.6%	33.9%	43%	0.57
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33	13,595	45	3.4%	1.5%	2.2%	62%	0.56
Helldivers 2	2,144	61	9.4%	6.3%	31.8%	46%	0.49
Marvel's Spider-Man 2	9,034	25	1.9%	1.4%	1.3%	73%	0.48
Grand Theft Auto V	34,612	90	1.1%	6.2%	7.1%	20%	0.40
Assassin's Creed Shadows	1,812	65	7.1%	0.7%	7.2%	44%	0.40
Ghost of Yōtei	1,873	51	3.0%	0.5%	1.8%	46%	0.32
REMATCH	243	40	13.6%	1.6%	30.9%	56%	0.28

The complete research data is available through the Zero1 gaming study spreadsheet.

1. Minecraft: The Most Addictive PS5 Game With 277 Hours of Playtime

Game: Minecraft (2011)

Minecraft takes the top position with an Addiction Score of 0.98, making it the clear leader in Zero1's ranking.

The game recorded 9,151 tracked players, with a typical multiplayer player spending approximately 277 hours in the game. This is more than three times the 80-hour benchmark cited in the study for players across all play styles.

One reason Minecraft performs so strongly is its open-ended approach to gameplay. Instead of directing everyone toward a single ending, the game gives players considerable freedom to explore different environments, gather resources, build structures, and develop their own objectives.

Its creative and survival modes also provide different experiences, allowing players to switch between building freely and managing challenges involving resources, enemies, and survival.

The trophy completion rate stands at 20%, suggesting that completing the game's full achievement list remains a challenge for many owners.

Minecraft also maintained considerable commercial popularity, ranking sixth in the 2025 PlayStation download charts across the United States, Canada, and Europe, according to the supplied research.

Its enormous playtime figure and high replay share of 9.6% help explain why it dominates the ranking.

2. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth: Strong Storytelling Keeps Players Engaged

Game: Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (2024)

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth takes second place with an Addiction Score of 0.79.

The role-playing game recorded 5,173 tracked players, with typical playtime reaching 88 hours. This puts it above the 80-hour comparison figure cited by the study.

One particularly interesting finding is its low drop-off share of just 2%. This suggests that very few tracked owners abandoned the game before progressing through its content.

The game also achieved a 57% average trophy completion rate, indicating that players generally made substantial progress toward its available achievements.

Its appeal comes from a combination of storytelling, character development, exploration, combat, and optional activities.

Rather than relying exclusively on repetitive gameplay, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth encourages players to invest time in its narrative and the wider world surrounding its characters.

The relatively high trophy completion figure also suggests that many players are willing to explore beyond the main storyline.

3. ARC Raiders: Highest Share of Players Still Engaged

Game: <Link url="https://arcraiders.com/" title="ARC Raiders"/> (2025)

ARC Raiders secures third place with an Addiction Score of 0.57.

Although it ranks below Minecraft and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the multiplayer extraction adventure records the highest still-playing share among the top five games.

According to the research, 18.8% of its tracked players were still playing, compared with 9.4% for Helldivers 2 and 4.6% for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth.

The game recorded 670 tracked players, with typical playtime reaching 90 hours.

ARC Raiders also achieved a 43% trophy completion rate, indicating that players had made considerable progress through its available achievements.

Its multiplayer structure is an important part of its appeal. Players must explore dangerous environments, collect resources, manage threats, and make decisions about when to continue an expedition or extract their acquired equipment.

The uncertainty surrounding each expedition can create a strong incentive to return for another session.

However, the game also recorded a 33.9% drop-off share, showing that a substantial proportion of tracked owners eventually stopped playing.

Despite that figure, its 18.8% ongoing-player share makes it one of the strongest titles in the research when measured by continued engagement.

4. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: High Trophy Completion and Strong Player Engagement

Game: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (2025)

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 ranks fourth with an Addiction Score of 0.56, narrowly behind ARC Raiders.

One notable aspect of its performance is the size of its tracked player sample. With 13,595 players, it has the largest tracked audience among the top five titles.

Typical playtime stands at 45 hours, while 3.4% of tracked players were still playing.

The game also records a 62% trophy completion rate, placing it ahead of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and ARC Raiders in this particular category.

Its appeal is closely connected to its distinctive presentation, narrative-driven structure, exploration, and turn-based combat system.

The combination of strategic battles and story progression provides players with multiple reasons to continue through the game.

Its relatively high trophy completion figure suggests that many owners are willing to explore its content beyond simply finishing the central storyline.

Although its total playtime is lower than that of the leading games, its strong achievement progression helps it maintain a competitive position.

5. Helldivers 2: Cooperative Multiplayer Keeps Players Coming Back

Game: Helldivers 2 (2024)

Helldivers 2 completes the top five with an Addiction Score of 0.49.

The cooperative multiplayer shooter recorded 2,144 tracked players, with typical playtime reaching 61 hours.

Its ongoing-player share stands at 9.4%, placing it behind ARC Raiders but ahead of the other games in the top five, except Minecraft.

The game's cooperative structure is central to its continued appeal. Players work together to complete missions, fight hostile enemies, and contribute to larger objectives.

The experience encourages teamwork and communication, giving players reasons to return with friends or participate in new multiplayer sessions.

Helldivers 2 also records a 46% trophy completion rate, slightly higher than ARC Raiders' 43%.

Its replay share of 6.3% is another positive indicator, suggesting that players return to the game after previous sessions.

Although its playtime is lower than the leading titles, the combination of cooperative missions and ongoing multiplayer engagement helps it secure fifth place.

6. Marvel's Spider-Man 2: Strong Completion Rates but Lower Replay Activity

Game: Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 ranks sixth with an Addiction Score of 0.48.

The game recorded 9,034 tracked players, making it one of the more widely represented titles in the research.

However, its typical playtime of 25 hours is relatively low compared with the other games in the top ten.

Its biggest strength is trophy completion. Players have achieved an average of 73% of the available trophies, the highest percentage among all ten games.

This suggests that many owners make substantial progress through the game's content.

However, its replay share is just 1.4%, indicating that fewer players return for additional sessions compared with games such as Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto V.

The findings suggest that Spider-Man 2 is particularly effective at keeping players engaged long enough to complete its content, even if it does not generate the same long-term replay activity as open-ended multiplayer experiences.

7. Grand Theft Auto V: A Long-Running Favorite With 90 Hours of Playtime

Game: Grand Theft Auto V

Grand Theft Auto V shares seventh place with an Addiction Score of 0.40.

Despite being an older release, the game continues to demonstrate considerable engagement among PlayStation owners.

It has the largest tracked player sample in the entire ranking, with 34,612 players.

Typical playtime reaches 90 hours, placing it alongside ARC Raiders in the hours-played category.

Its replay share of 6.2% is also relatively strong, suggesting that players continue returning to the game.

A major reason for its longevity is the combination of its single-player campaign and GTA Online.

The open-world environment provides numerous activities beyond the main storyline, while its multiplayer component offers opportunities for players to participate in different activities with others.

Nevertheless, average trophy completion stands at just 20%, showing that many players do not complete a large proportion of the available achievements.

Its large tracked audience and substantial playtime demonstrate its continued relevance in the PlayStation gaming community.

8. Assassin's Creed Shadows: An Engaging Historical Adventure

Game: Assassin's Creed Shadows

Assassin's Creed Shadows also receives an Addiction Score of 0.40, placing it alongside Grand Theft Auto V.

The game recorded 1,812 tracked players, with typical playtime reaching 65 hours.

Its still-playing share stands at 7.1%, while the average trophy completion rate is 44%.

The game offers an open-world historical adventure featuring two protagonists, allowing players to experience different approaches to exploration and combat.

Its combination of stealth, action, historical settings, and exploration provides several reasons for players to spend additional time in its world.

Although its replay share of 0.7% is relatively low, the 65-hour playtime figure suggests that players who engage with the game can spend considerable time exploring its content.

9. Ghost of Yōtei: A Strong Single-Player Experience

Game: Ghost of Yōtei

Ghost of Yōtei ranks ninth with an Addiction Score of 0.32.

The game recorded 1,873 tracked players, with typical playtime reaching 51 hours.

Its trophy completion rate is 46%, indicating that players generally make meaningful progress through its available content.

The game focuses on a single-player adventure, combining exploration, combat, and storytelling.

Its still-playing share stands at 3%, while the replay share is just 0.5%.

These figures suggest that its appeal is more closely connected to completing a substantial adventure than returning repeatedly for extended multiplayer sessions.

Nevertheless, its 51-hour playtime and 46% trophy completion rate demonstrate that players can spend considerable time exploring its world.

10. REMATCH: Multiplayer Competition Provides Replay Potential

Game:

REMATCH completes the top ten with an Addiction Score of 0.28.

The competitive multiplayer football game recorded 243 tracked players, the smallest sample in the ranking.

Typical playtime stands at 40 hours, while 13.6% of tracked players were still playing.

This is the second-highest ongoing-player percentage among the ten games, behind ARC Raiders.

The game also achieved a 56% trophy completion rate, suggesting that many tracked players have made substantial progress through its achievements.

Its multiplayer format provides opportunities for repeated competition, skill development, and matches against other players.

However, its drop-off share of 30.9% indicates that a considerable portion of its tracked audience eventually stopped playing.

Despite its relatively low overall Addiction Score, its continuing-player percentage suggests that it has developed a committed audience among some players.

Why Minecraft Beats Other Popular PS5 Games

Minecraft's first-place position highlights an important difference between open-ended games and traditional story-driven releases.

Many single-player games are designed around a central storyline, with players progressing through missions until they reach a conclusion.

Minecraft operates differently. It gives players considerable freedom to decide what they want to accomplish, whether that involves building elaborate structures, exploring unfamiliar environments, collecting resources, or creating entirely new experiences.

This flexibility can extend a game's lifespan considerably because players are not necessarily working toward one final objective.

A gaming industry expert from Zero1 explained the distinction:

"Most games are built around a story with a beginning and an end. Minecraft was built around a world with neither."

The expert also argued that the absence of a defined victory condition helps explain Minecraft's unusually high playtime.

The commentary further referenced a 2025 analysis suggesting that sandbox games retain players at roughly three times the rate of narrative-driven titles after the first 20 hours. That comparison was cited by the expert in the supplied research.

What the Findings Reveal About Gaming Habits

The Zero1 research offers several interesting observations about how players interact with different types of video games.

First, high playtime does not necessarily mean that a game has the highest percentage of active players. Minecraft leads in total hours, but ARC Raiders records the highest ongoing-player share among the top five.

Second, games with strong storylines can achieve impressive completion rates without necessarily generating the same replay activity as multiplayer or sandbox titles.

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, for example, records a 57% trophy completion rate and just a 2% drop-off share. Marvel's Spider-Man 2 performs even better in trophy completion, reaching 73%.

Third, multiplayer experiences can encourage players to return repeatedly. ARC Raiders, Helldivers 2, and REMATCH all demonstrate relatively strong ongoing-player percentages.

Finally, the research shows that popularity and engagement are not identical. Grand Theft Auto V has the largest tracked audience, but its Addiction Score is considerably lower than Minecraft's.

These differences suggest that the most engaging games are not necessarily those with the biggest audiences, but those that give players compelling reasons to keep returning.