Every year games are released with little-to-no fanfare yet go on to be massive success stories. In 2024, you had games like Balatro and Helldivers 2 coming out of nowhere to capture the hearts of players. In 2025, that was no different. Games like Peak, Ball x Pit, Schedule I, and even Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 took the gaming world by storm. But in the end, only one could be named the Insider Gaming Community’s Biggest Surprise Hit of 2025.
In a vote held in the Insider Gaming Discord, the Insider Gaming readers voted AdHoc Studio’s Dispatch as the biggest surprise hit of the year.
The episodic narrative-based adventure game received 27.1% of the vote, beating out second place Clair Obscur (19.6%). In third place was Ball x Pit at 14% while Peak and Blue Prince rounded out the top five with 12.1% and 9.3% of the votes, respectively. Other games receiving votes include Schedule I, Escape From Duckov, Where Winds Meet, Lego Voyagers, Wildgate, and Date Everything.
Why Dispatch Was The Biggest Surprise Hit
Dispatch’s win shouldn’t come as a, no pun intended, surprise. The game has received universal acclaim from fans on sites like Metacritic, and has been praised for its story telling and seamless mix of gameplay and cinematics.
The dispatching element of the game is a blast and the mixed in hacking puzzles provide enough of a challenge without being too frustrating. To add to it, the dialogue and voice acting is stellar.
As you watch and listen while each scene unfolds, you can tell the passion put into the script and each role. Aaron Paul was a perfect casting for Robert Robertson. Elsewhere, Jeffrey Wright as Chase and Laura Bailey as Invisigal all make you feel an emotional attachment to what’s happening in the game. Oh, and Royd, might just be the best character in the entire game.
There’s so much to say about what makes Dispatch special, but it’s best if you just play it yourself.
What do you think of the Insider Gaming Community voting Dispatch as the Biggest Surprise Hit of 2025? Were there any other games that surprised you? Leave your thoughts down below and join the talk in the Insider Gaming Discord.
For more Insider Gaming Community Awards, check out what game the readers voted as the Best Multiplayer Game of 2025. And don’t forget to sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Mike has been covering the gaming industry since 2012, and has reported on some of the largest events in the industry while also working as an investigative reporter. Outside of…
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