The Luke Littler effect has darts booming right now. Since bursting onto the scene as a raw teenager, Littler has reached three consecutive PDC World Darts Championship finals, winning the last two.
Darts’ popularity continues to grow around the world, but it has been 16 years since an official PDC World Darts Championship game. Gamers who love the sport have been crying out for a new darts video game, and with the Luke Littler effect in full force, now is the ideal time.
Luke Littler’s Meteoric Rise to the Top
Luke Littler, nicknamed “The Nuke”, was an unknown entity in the sporting world when he entered the 2024 World Darts Championship at the end of 2023. He was an outsider before the tournament began, but Littler had bags of potential at just 16 years of age.
After making the final in his breakthrough year, the young Englishman went all the way in the 2025 World Darts Championship, seeing off three-time champion Michael van Gerwen in a one-sided final to become the youngest darts world champion in the sport’s history.
A hatful of trophies, accolades, and prize money later, Littler successfully retained his crown at Alexander Palace in January. The Nuke was sensational throughout, hammering Gian van Veen (7-1) to become only the fourth player to win back-to-back PDC World Darts Championships.
Not only has Luke Littler established himself as darts’ No. 1 player, but the Cheshire-born superstar is also a media sensation. He continues to promote darts and his own brand with appearances on TV shows and has a vast social media presence.
Avid Gamer & Xbox Partner
Littler has mentioned several times in the media that he is an avid gamer, with Xbox being his choice of console. He often spends his downtime playing video games with friends, with EA Sports FC and Rugby League among his favourite games to play.
Gaming offers Littler an excellent way to relax before the intensity of major tournaments. Alongside training for events, Littler uses gaming to clear his mind and stay grounded. He often live streams his gaming sessions and plays with other celebrities.
Luke Littler signed a lucrative deal with Xbox, promoting the Microsoft brand on his attire. He has appeared in Xbox commercials and collaborated with Activision via Xbox on the launch campaign for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7.
“Do What You Love” and “Score More” are Xbox promotions in collaboration with Luke Littler. The campaigns emphasise his love for gaming while also giving back to the fans.
Could Luke Littler’s Powerful Xbox Connection Lead to an Exclusive Darts Video Game?
Having Xbox in your corner is a giant win for Littler. The initial collaboration was for the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship, but the partnership has extended way beyond that and has been hugely beneficial for both parties.
If any darts player has the pulling power to bring a new darts game to the public, it’s certainly Littler. With a Littler-Xbox deal already in place, Microsoft could turn to one of its many studios to finally bring us a proper darts game.
Xbox exclusive titles are few and far between these days, with several franchises heading to PS5. Alongside the likes of Gears of War and Forza Horizon making the switch, Halo will also end decades of Xbox exclusivity when it lands on PS5 in 2026.
However, an exclusive darts game with Luke Littler’s face all over it could boost Xbox sales and bring back some much-needed brand identity.
The sport is only heading in one direction, with Luke Littler at the forefront. The interest in darts is surging, and with a big gaming company behind the project, now seems like the perfect time to end the long wait for a darts game.
Why Such a Long Wait?
Incredibly, when the last official PDC World Darts Championship game was released, Littler was just a toddler. The most recent official darts game was 2010’s PDC World Championship Darts: Pro Tour, which was released on PS3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii in 2010.
Despite being a relatively easy sport to replicate in game form, only a handful of notable darts titles have been released. We had a few consecutive PDC World Championship Darts games at the end of the 2010s, while Top Darts was a PlayStation 3 and PS Vita exclusive, originally releasing in 2010.
Xbox did feature darts in Kinect Sports: Season Two. The game also had golf, baseball, skiing, tennis, and American football, though it offered a rather forgettable experience.
If you go even further back, 180 came out on 8-bit consoles in the mid-1980s, and Magic Darts was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in 1991. Other smaller and less-known darts games, like 2025’s Dart Club World, are also available.
Could VR Be the Best Way In?
The Wii’s motion controls seemed like the perfect solution. In some way, the feel of the controller in the hand mimicked holding a dart, and you could aim your dart at the board with the help of the Wii remote’s sensor.
However, getting the balance right between sensitivity, power, aiming, and timing was always tricky. The later games were an improvement, with record world champion Phil Taylor coming in to help the developers refine the control scheme, but PDC World Championship Darts: Pro Tour was the final darts game on the Wii.
Maybe the best fit for video gaming darts is virtual reality? We already have several darts games in VR, including ForeVR Darts and VR Darts, but seeing an official PDC VR darts game would be magical. VR games like Soul Retreat are ideal for digital meditation, and darts can be highly therapeutic.
First and foremost, physics in virtual reality have come a long way. Pool games that require holding the controllers apart to make an invisible cue work remarkably well in VR, and throwing darts using motion controls and hand tracking could offer a similar experience.
Gameplay is the most important aspect of any game, but experiencing the passion and power of Ally Pally and other vibrant arenas in virtual reality would be special. Mixed reality would allow you to put up a virtual dartboard in your living room and play at any given time.
Why We Desperately Need a Darts Game
Luke Littler’s rise to fame and fortune proves how big darts is right now. The game has been popular for decades, but Littler’s emergence has taken things to a new level, with darts becoming one of the fastest-growing sports on the globe.
Luke Littler’s fame continues to rise, with incredible partnerships and collaborations making him one of the most recognised UK athletes. He pocketed £1m with his most recent world championship win and has a reported £20m 10-year contract with Target Darts.
Social media has and will continue to play a big role in the sport, while youth engagement is bigger and better than ever. The TV viewing figures have catapulted, and arenas are selling out everywhere.
A new darts game would enhance the sport even further, especially if the likes of EA or 2K take on the project. Luke Littler could be the face of the game, which would undoubtedly attract huge interest.
The technology is now at a point where a darts game would be more realistic and enjoyable than ever before. Using motion controls in VR would be superb, but getting a big-budget 2D game on modern consoles like the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2 would be the ultimate ambition.
