Video games have at all times existed in a numbers-obsessed trade. Sega vs. Nintendo outlined a technology within the ’90s, whereas as we speak’s comparatively delicate console wars and month-to-month NPD reviews maintain gross sales figures close to the forefront of games-related dialogue. New monetization fashions require new metrics for achievement — month-to-month lively customers, participant retention charges, in-game income, and so on. — however one of many trade’s greatest questions stays: What are the best-selling video video games of all time?
To reply this query, we got down to compile essentially the most correct record potential by reaching out to publishers and digging via monetary reviews, information tales, interviews, and extra. The result’s the next record of the ten best-selling video video games of all time.
Some notes up entrance:
- Pack-in video games are counted towards gross sales totals, contemplating most video games on this record had been, at one level, bundled with a console.
- Free downloads are usually not counted as gross sales, which excludes massively profitable video games like Fortnite and League of Legends from a listing like this.
- Resulting from an absence of obtainable gross sales knowledge, we couldn’t embody sure video games that will belong on this record. For instance, we reached out to Activision-Blizzard looking for up to date gross sales numbers for Diablo 3 (30 million models bought as of June 2015) and the Name of Obligation franchise however didn’t obtain up to date data to incorporate these video games on this record.
10. Overwatch – 50 million
Blizzard’s hero shooter Overwatch bought 50 million copies, based on a Bloomberg report revealed in April 2022. Overwatch elevated the hero shooter style with good recreation design, thoughtfully crafted heroes, and continued esports assist. In October of 2022, Overwatch was changed by its free-to-play sequel, Overwatch 2.
9. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – 50 million+
The Witcher 3 was added to this record in Might 2023 when CD Projekt Purple introduced its seminal RPG handed 50 million copies bought. Complete gross sales for The Witcher collection sit at over 75 million.
The developer is now engaged on a number of video games new Witcher video games, together with The Witcher 4 and a Witcher 1 remake.
8. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – 60 million+
After years of silence relating to Skyrim’s gross sales numbers, Bethesda’s Todd Howard revealed in June 2023 that the RPG has bought over 60 million models because it was first launched in 2011. “We’re sitting right here, it’s 12 years after Skyrim,” Howard informed IGN. “We’re taking a look at a recreation that has over 60 million copies, and all these individuals enjoying… they’re nonetheless enjoying it.”
7. Purple Lifeless Redemption 2 – 61 million+
Essentially the most not too long ago launched recreation to earn a spot within the prime ten is Purple Lifeless Redemption 2. Rockstar’s western epic bought over 61 million copies via December 2023, based on writer Take-Two’s newest monetary report.
6. Mario Kart 8 + Deluxe – 69.04 million
With over 60 million copies bought as of December 31, 2023, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling Change recreation, based on Nintendo. Think about gross sales of the unique Wii U launch and that complete rises to over 69 million, good for the sixth-best-selling recreation of all time.
5. PUBG – 75 million
Given its essential position within the rising recognition of battle royale video games during the last 5 years, it’s unsurprising that PUBG has been such a large gross sales success. Krafton inventive director Dave Curd informed The Verge it has bought 75 million copies of PUBG as of December 2021. That can seemingly be the shooter’s last gross sales tally, because it went free to play a month later in January 2022.
Whereas free cell downloads do not rely towards its gross sales complete, it is value noting PUBG Cell had been downloaded over 1 billion occasions as of March 2021.
4. Wii Sports activities – 82.9 million
In line with Nintendo’s official gross sales figures, Wii Sports activities is the corporate’s best-selling recreation ever. Whereas most entries on this record had been bundled with a console in some unspecified time in the future, Wii Sports activities was bundled with the Wii in practically all territories at launch. At practically 83 million copies bought, it’s the top-selling single-platform unique of all time.
3. Grand Theft Auto V – 195 million+
Grand Theft Auto 5 is the best-selling console/PC-only recreation of all time (the highest two entries on this record have cell variations). Gross sales of Rockstar’s most formidable GTA but surpassed 195 million models as of December 2023. That quantity compiles the sport’s gross sales totals from throughout three console generations and PC between 2013 and 2022.
GTA 5 was the quickest leisure launch from any medium to achieve $1 billion in retail gross sales — and it’s since earned Rockstar and Take-Two billions extra, making it essentially the most worthwhile leisure launch ever, no less than as of 2018. Complete gross sales for the franchise sit at 420 million models bought.
Rockstar is now in growth on GTA 6.
2. Minecraft – 300 million+
Minecraft has bought over 300 million copies as of October 2023, Mojang introduced throughout this yr’s Minecraft Reside (by way of Home windows Central). That determine captures the gross sales complete throughout Minecraft’s many platforms. With movie, Netflix, training, toy, and lots of different tasks accomplished or within the works, Minecraft has transcended the medium in a manner few others have earlier than it.
1. Tetris – 520 million
Arguably essentially the most timeless online game ever created, Tetris sits comfortably atop the record of all-time bestsellers with 520 million copies bought, based on The Tetris Firm. That quantity consists of gross sales throughout all accessible platforms, with the bulk coming from cell (425 million paid cell downloads as of 2014, based on Henk Rogers, The Tetris Firm’s managing director).
Tetris was initially launched for the Soviet Union-developed Elektronika 60 laptop, and variations of the basic puzzler have since been made for over 50 completely different platforms. Notably, it helped launch the Recreation Boy to success, finally promoting 35 million copies on Nintendo’s handheld console.
Trendy variations of the basic are nonetheless being launched: Tetris Impact: Linked introduced the puzzler to current-gen consoles with an emotional twist, whereas most not too long ago, in 2020, SEGA launched Puyo Puyo Tetris 2.