Video games have at all times existed in a numbers-obsessed business. Sega vs. Nintendo outlined a technology within the ’90s, whereas at this time’s comparatively delicate console wars and month-to-month NPD studies hold gross sales figures close to the forefront of games-related dialogue. New monetization fashions require new metrics for fulfillment — month-to-month lively customers, participant retention charges, in-game income, and many others. — however one of many business’s largest 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 listing potential by reaching out to publishers and digging by way of monetary studies, information tales, interviews, and extra. The result’s the next listing 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 listing had been, at one level, bundled with a console.
- Free downloads should not counted as gross sales, excluding massively profitable video games like Fortnite and League of Legends from an inventory like this.
- Resulting from an absence of obtainable gross sales information, we couldn’t embrace sure video games that will have earned a spot on this listing. Skyrim is one such sport: In a November 2021 episode of IGN Unfiltered, Todd Howard stated Skyrim has offered “much more” than 30 million copies. On condition that remark, its wide-reaching reputation, and plenty of re-releases over the previous decade, it’s potential it has outsold some video games on this listing. Nevertheless, Bethesda didn’t reply to a request for gross sales data.
- We additionally reached out to Activision-Blizzard in search of up to date gross sales numbers for Diablo 3 (30 million models offered as of June 2015) and the Name of Responsibility franchise, however didn’t obtain up to date data to incorporate these video games on this listing.
10. Pokemon Gen 1 – 47 million
In Japan, the era-defining authentic Pokemon was accessible in two variations at launch (Crimson and Inexperienced) earlier than coming to different territories as Pokemon Crimson and Blue. Yellow Model (aka Particular Pikachu Version) adopted between 1998 and 2000, relying on the territory.
Whereas Nintendo hasn’t publicly shared a gross sales complete for the primary technology of Pokemon video games, survey information from the Laptop Leisure Provider’s Affiliation (CESA)* put the 4 variations’ mixed gross sales round 45 million copies — roughly 31.05 million for Crimson/Blue/Inexperienced and 14.64 million for Yellow. 1.5 million copies had been additionally offered on 3DS by way of Digital Console, in line with Nintendo, bringing the estimated complete of Pokemon’s first-gen video games to roughly 47 million.
We reached out to Nintendo for an official quantity and didn’t obtain a response. Nevertheless, we do have an official gross sales complete for the franchise: Pokemon video games collectively offered over 440 million models by the tip of March 2022.
*CESA is a revered business publication out of Japan. The affiliation’s annual “white paper” particulars Japanese and international online game gross sales information collected by way of surveys of publishers. Member firms embrace Sony, Microsoft Japan, Capcom, Sq. Enix, EA, and Atlus; Nintendo is listed as a “particular supporting member.”
9. Tremendous Mario Bros. – 48 million
The lifetime gross sales complete of Tremendous Mario Bros. sits at simply over 48 million models, in line with CESA. It’s the best-selling NES sport ever, with an estimated 40.24 million copies offered on the console. Different variations factored into this gross sales complete embrace the Recreation Boy Coloration remake Tremendous Mario Bros. Deluxe (~5 million), GBA’s Basic NES Sequence: Tremendous Mario Bros. (~2 million), and Digital Console gross sales (~.66 million).
Along with the platforms listed above, varied variations of the enduring platformer had been launched for arcade, Recreation & Watch, PC-88, Sharp X1, Nintendo’s PlayChoice-10, SNES (by way of Tremendous Mario All-Stars), NES Basic, and Nintendo Change (by way of Nintendo Change On-line).
We reached out to Nintendo for an official gross sales complete and didn’t obtain a response as of publish.
8. Overwatch – 50 million
Blizzard’s hero shooter Overwatch has offered 50 million copies, in line with a Bloomberg report printed in April 2022. Overwatch elevated the hero shooter style with sensible sport design, thoughtfully crafted heroes, and continued esports assist. In October of 2022, Overwatch can be changed by its free-to-play sequel, Overwatch 2.
7. Crimson Useless Redemption 2 – 50 million+
Probably the most lately launched sport to earn a spot within the prime ten is Crimson Useless Redemption 2. Rockstar’s western epic has offered over 46 million copies as of September 30, 2022, in line with writer Take-Two’s newest monetary report.
6. Mario Kart 8 + Deluxe – 62.25 million
With over 53 million copies offered as of March 31, 2023, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling Change sport, in line with Nintendo. Consider gross sales of the unique Wii U launch and that complete rises to over 62 million, good for the sixth-best-selling sport of all time. MK8 is unlikely to rise any greater on this listing given the 15-million-unit gross sales hole between it and the next-best-selling sport.
5. PUBG – 75 million
Given its vital function within the rising reputation of battle royale video games over the past 5 years, it’s unsurprising that PUBG has been such an enormous gross sales success. Krafton inventive director Dave Curd informed The Verge it has offered 75 million copies of PUBG as of December 2021. That may seemingly be the shooter’s remaining gross sales tally, because it went free to play a month later in January 2022.
Whereas free cell downloads do not depend towards its gross sales complete, it is value noting PUBG Cell had been downloaded over 1 billion instances as of March 2021.
4. Wii Sports activities – 82.9 million
In keeping with Nintendo’s official gross sales figures, Wii Sports activities is the corporate’s best-selling sport ever. Whereas most entries on this listing had been bundled with a console sooner or later, Wii Sports activities was bundled with the Wii in almost all territories at launch. At almost 83 million copies offered, it’s the top-selling single-platform unique of all time.
3. Grand Theft Auto V – 175 million+
Grand Theft Auto 5 is the best-selling console/PC-only sport of all time (the highest two entries on this listing have cell variations, too). Gross sales of Rockstar’s most bold GTA but have surpassed 170 million models as of September 30, 2022. 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 throughout all mediums to achieve $1 billion — and it’s since earned Rockstar and Take-Two billions extra, making it the most-profitable leisure launch ever, no less than as of 2018.
2. Minecraft – 238 million
Minecraft had offered 238 million copies as of April 2021, in line with Microsoft, although its gross sales complete has actually climbed greater within the year-plus since. The corporate notes that determine captures the gross sales complete throughout its 22 accessible platforms. And with movie, Netflix, training, toy, and plenty of different tasks both accomplished or within the works, Minecraft has transcended the medium in a manner few others have earlier than it.
We reached out to Microsoft for an up to date gross sales complete and didn’t obtain a response.
1. Tetris – 520 million
Arguably essentially the most timeless online game ever created, Tetris sits comfortably atop the listing of all-time bestsellers with 520 million copies offered, in line with The Tetris Firm. That quantity contains gross sales throughout all accessible platforms, with the bulk coming from cell: Henk Rogers, The Tetris Firm’s managing director, stated Tetris had 425 million paid cell downloads as of 2014.
Tetris was initially launched for the Soviet Union-developed Elektronika 60 pc, and variations of the traditional puzzler have since been made for over 50 totally different platforms. Notably, it helped launch the Recreation Boy to success, ultimately promoting 35 million copies on Nintendo’s handheld console.
Fashionable variations of the traditional are nonetheless being launched: Tetris Impact: Linked introduced the puzzler to current-gen consoles with an emotional twist, whereas most lately, in 2020, SEGA launched Puyo Puyo Tetris 2.
2022 updates:
- Added: Overwatch
- Eliminated: Mario Kart Wii
- Up to date: Tetris, Minecraft, GTA V, PUBG, Mario Kart 8, Tremendous Mario Bros., Pokemon, Crimson Useless 2
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