Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Marvel's Spider-Man have both seen a notable resurgence in players, and the trigger appears to be renewed attention from Hollywood rather than any fresh in-game content or updates. The trend suggests that big screen and streaming tie-ins can drive people back to older titles just as effectively as new expansions or patches, highlighting how much publishers can benefit from cross-media exposure long after a game's original release.

The piece frames this as evidence that keeping a back catalogue relevant doesn't always require costly new development — sometimes a well-timed film, show or marketing tie-in is enough to reignite interest. It points to Assassin's Creed Odyssey and Marvel's Spider-Man specifically as case studies, noting that both games have benefited from wider entertainment moments connected to their franchises rather than from any recent patches or content drops.