So far, 2016 has been a great year for gaming. While the winter and spring months are typically a desolate wasteland in terms of quality releases, 2016 has seen the likes of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Overwatch, Doom — and that's just to name a few.
If the second half of the year is anything like the first, 2016 could go down as one of the best in recent memory.
As an added bonus, video game trailers have been especially great as well. For the most part, video game trailers are nothing special ... but there are a few that take things to the next level. Whether it's an intricately-detailed live-action sequence or a stunningly effective gameplay showcase, gamers have seen some amazing trailers in 2016 — and we're only halfway through the year.
If you need proof, just look at the analytics for 2016 thus far: the folks over at YouTube (via GameSpot) have released the top 10 most-viewed trailers of the year, and it should come as no surprise that the list is filled with some amazing teasers.
So, which video is the most popular gaming trailer on YouTube? If you guessed the reveal trailer for EA's latest addition to the long-running Battlefield franchise, you'd be right:
The full list (as of May 2016) is as follows:
Battlefield 1 – Reveal Trailer
• 34.6 million views
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare – Reveal Trailer
• 25.1 million views
Gears of War 4 – 'Tomorrow' Trailer
• 16 million views
DOOM – 'Fight Like Hell' Cinematic Trailer
• 8.5 million views
Pokemon Sun & Moon – Starter Reveal Trailer
• 8.4 million views
Overwatch – 'Dragons' Animated Short
• 5.2 million views
MLB: The Show '16 – 'Get Famous' Commercial
• 4.7 million views
Fallout 4 – Far Harbor Trailer
• 4.3 million views
Fallout 4 – Automatron Trailer
• 2.9 million views
Call of Duty: Black Ops III – Awakening DLC Trailer
• 2.8 million views
All in all, it's a solid list. Given the fan reaction, it's no surprise that Battlefield 1 tops the list — and considering how much attention the game's negative reaction garnered, it's not all that surprising to see Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare following in second place.
What is surprising is the success of the debut trailer for Gears of War 4: given that it's entirely CG and doesn't show anything in the way of actual gameplay, the fact that it's accrued so many hits in such a short time speaks of the video's quality. The same thing goes for the Doom "Fight Like Hell" trailer, though Bethesda switched out CG effects for a thrilling live-action sequence.
On the other end of the spectrum, it looks like Fallout 4 has some catching up to do: while it's true that both the Far Harbor and Automatron DLC trailers made the list, the views between them can't compete with the latest Pokemon teaser.
The appearance of the Overwatch animated short "Dragons" was easy to see coming, but the fact that it's only sitting at roughly five million views may surprise some fans — especially considering how many people are talking about the game right now.
Given that E3 is just a few days away, there's a good chance that this list won't be the same for much longer — fans will have to wait until next week to see what Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo have up their sleeves for this year's show.
