YouTube has published its list of the top trending topics of 2025, and once again, gaming and pop culture were popular choices for what people watched on the video-streaming website. Out of the trending topics--which aren't ranked in any particular order--US YouTube viewers devoured any content related to the Switch 2 console, Roblox, and the RPG-strategy game Cookie Run Kingdom. Other topics of interest in the US included KPop Demon Hunters, Labubu collectible dolls, and the hit anime series Blue Lock.

Roblox user-generated experiences and the Switch 2 continued to be popular topics on YouTube worldwide, especially in countries such as Korea, Germany, Mexico, France, Japan, and the United Kingdom. YouTube says that it determined the top trends for the US and other regions through "a variety of signals," including views, uploads, and creator activity around the topics. Only the topics that were determined to have had conspicuous popularity this year--either because they were new to 2025 or because they saw significant increases in their user-interest metrics--were eligible for the list.

YouTube Trending Pop Culture Topics in the US for 2025

• Squid Game
• User-Generated Roblox Experiences: Grow A Garden, Dandy's World, Forsaken, Steal A Brainrot
• KPop Demon Hunters
• Brainrot
• Labubu
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Cookie Run Kingdom
• Blue Lock
• Katseye

While Roblox has seen its popularity reach new heights in 2025, that has also brought new scrutiny to the game-creation platform, following accusations that it is infested with child predators who prey on its young userbase. Recently, Roblox Corporation CEO David Baszucki unveiled an initiative to introduce a new face-scanning feature to increase child safety, but an interview with The New York Times yielded some questionable responses from him.

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Mark Cerny--best known as the lead architect of the PlayStation Vita, PS4, and PS5--recently appeared on Simon Parkin's My Perfect Console podcast to choose five games he would preserve on a fictional console. While much of the conversation naturally touched on his long history with Sony, one of the most surprising and heartfelt moments came when he talked about his love for Nintendo's Pikmin.

Despite his deep ties to PlayStation, Cerny made it clear that Pikmin left a lasting mark on him. Cerny described playing the original Pikmin as a truly "transformative" experience. He explained how emotionally invested he became in Captain Olimar's struggle to survive and return home.

"I had this thing where I tended to play smaller, lighter games for about 10 years, so I don't know, Portal or Plants vs. Zombies or Flower or Katamari Damacy. Pikmin, I just [picked] out of that list because I thought it was such an emotionally involving story," Cerny explained. "Poor Captain Olimar, he crash lands, and he's got 30 days to reassemble his ship, or he'll run out of oxygen and die, and he's sending letters home every day."

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Nintendo has provided game file sizes for Metroid Prime 4: Beyond on Switch and Switch 2, letting console owners know how much space they need to download the first-person adventure game. On Switch 2, Metroid Prime 4 comes in at an estimated 31.6GB, while the original Switch version only takes up 26.3GB, per the Nintendo Store. Intriguingly, though, the eShop accessed via Switch 2 showcases the Switch edition as taking up 28.9GB.

Regardless, it makes sense Metroid Prime 4 has a bigger download size on Switch 2, since the game offers 4K visuals in quality mode docked and 120fps in performance mode docked. There is also HDR support and mouse controls, courtesy of the Switch 2 Joy-Con controllers. Both versions will launch this Thursday, December 4.

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In November, PC and PlayStation 5 users were able to dive into Everstone Studio and NetEase Games' Wuxia action-adventure-RPG, Where Winds Meet. Now, the mobile launch is just over a week away.

Where Winds Meet will get its official debut on iOS and Android on December 12, and the mobile version will support cross-play and cross-progression for PC and PS5 users.

"We are both humbled and flattered by the kind words and encouragement from players around the world," said Where Winds Meet lead producer Beralt Lyu in a statement. "Their support inspires us to continue improving the game and delivering even better content to our players. With the mobile version coming soon, we can't wait for more players to join our growing community."

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Lego Stranger Things: The Creel House (2,593 pieces)

$300 | Releases January 4, 2026

See at Lego Store

Lego has officially revealed a new Stranger Things set, as fans can look forward to a 2,593-piece tribute to the iconic Creel House. The hub of all things spooky in the Stranger Things series, this Lego replica is loaded with Easter eggs from all five seasons of the Netflix show and it's now available to preorder for $300. Members of the Lego Insiders rewards program can get their hands on the set early, starting January 1, 2026, and it'll be available globally starting January 4. Anyone who buys the set from the Lego Store from January 1-4 will also receive the 584-piece Lego Icons Stranger Things: WSQK Radio Station set as a free gift, which includes Joyce and Hopper minifigures.

Lego Stranger Things: The Creel House (2,593 pieces) $300 | Releases January 4, 2026

Just like the infamous location, the Lego replica of the Creel House features a richly detailed facade and several highly detailed rooms. Alice and Henry's bedrooms, the haunted upstairs hallway, and Vecna's Mind Lair are all part of the build, and other nods to the series include the infamous grandfather clock, Steve's car, the WSQK radio station van, and Will's bike. The mansion can be displayed in its eerie boarded-up state, or you can open it up to examine all the rooms inside.

The set comes with 13 minifigures--Eleven, Will, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Holly, Steve, Nancy, Robin, Jonathan, Max, Mr. Whatsit, and Vecna--and it measures over 11.5 inches high, 20 inches wide, and 7 inches deep after it has been fully constructed.

See at Lego Store Gallery

This isn't the first Stranger Things set produced by Lego, and if you're looking to complete the collection, you can pick up a BrickHeadz collection of Mike Wheeler, Dustin Henderson, Lucas Sinclair, and Will Byers buildable figures for $40. The set launched in October, and each figure adapts the Stranger Things character's look and '80s fashion.

Stranger Things BrickHeadz See at Lego Store

Each blocky figure also comes with a buildable display base to pop them on and accessories like a walkie-talkie for Mike, a headset for Dustin, and a slingshot and binoculars for Lucas.

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Writer-director Hideo Kojima has announced that he is part of the voice cast for the Japanese version of Disney's Zootopia 2. He voices the mole role of Paul Moldebrandt.

Kojima told Famitsu that Zootopia 2 director Jared Bush personally asked Kojima to play the role for the Japanese dubbing of the Disney film that's now in theaters and putting up massive numbers.

Zootopia 2 has already made $560 million+ globally, thanks in large part to China, where the film has earned $270 million so far. China is far and away the biggest market for Zootopia 2 so far, the next closet being the US and Canada ($158.8 million).

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Sony has unveiled a new limited-edition look for the DualSense controller, just in time for the launch of Genshin Impact Version Luna III. Dubbed the Genshin Impact Limited Edition, this controller is inspired by the game and its signature style, giving it a fantasy-themed makeover. Preorders begin December 11 at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET, and the controller is priced at $85.

This version of the DualSense controller combines an ethereal white, gold, and green palette with arcane glyphs found in Genshin Impact. You'll also find emblems of the Traveler Twins Aether and Lumine, as well as a nod to their companion guide, Paimon, with a cute graphic. Sony says that it collaborated closely with Genshin Impact developer HoYoverse to create the controller and celebrate the popular live-service game's fifth anniversary.

Genshin Impact DualSense controllerGallery

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