New games come out every year, but only some of them become hits. Only a fraction of them have stood the test of time and continue to sell well. Most of the time, a successful video game series or franchise guarantees hundreds of millions of dollars in sales. We’ve prepared a list of the 7 best-selling video game franchises that can still boast incredible sales figures. On the digital side, both digital and physical copies are taken into account.
Since the release of Space Invaders, video games have become a multi-billion industry. However, only a few games have managed to generate hundreds of millions in sales to date. We’ve created a list of the best-selling video games as of 2019. See and count how many games you guessed.
While the TV and Hollywood industries are struggling to stay relevant, video games are continuing to expand at a breakneck pace. 2020 is no exception, and we’ve seen video game sales rise. It’s true that the coronavirus pandemic is currently the cause of disruption and delays in the gaming industry, but this is temporary (at least I hope) and life in the gaming world will return to normal soon. Now, let’s see which are the 10 best-selling video games of 2020 so far.
Note: This list is based on information recently disclosed by NPD (US market research company) and is only for the US game market. Additionally, the list is valid year-to-date as of February 2020.
While the TV and Hollywood industries are struggling to stay relevant, video games are continuing to expand at a breakneck pace. 2020 is no exception, and we’ve seen video game sales rise. It’s true that the coronavirus pandemic is currently the cause of disruption and delays in the gaming industry, but this is temporary (at least I hope) and life in the gaming world will return to normal soon. Now, let’s see which are the 10 best-selling video games of 2020 so far.
Note: This list is based on information recently disclosed by NPD (US market research company) and is only for the US game market. Additionally, the list is valid year-to-date as of February 2020.
Also read our article about a global video game development company based in Ukraine
The games listed below have proven themselves to have such broad appeal that they have sold millions of copies all around the world.
Check out our list below and see if one of your favorites made the list of the top ten best-selling games of all time.
The 10 best-selling video games of all time
10. Diablo 3
Diablo’s best-selling video game Gravity
Sales: 30 million copies
Year of release: 2012
Developer: Activision Blizzard
The acclaimed action role-playing game was released on PC for the first time. Then consoles hit the market, culminating in a Nintendo Switch version in 2018. Unfortunately, Activision Blizzard does not provide sales reports for the past 4 years, so the total number of copies sold could be several million higher.
9. Wii Sports Resort
Wii Sports Resort Video Game
Sales: 33 million copies
Year of release: 2009
Developer: Nintendo Wii
According to Nintendo’s statistics, Wii Sports Resort is the third most popular Wii game of all time. Four factors contributed to this title’s incredible success:
It’s a sequel to an already popular video game
It is bundled with the Wii Motion Plus peripheral for improved motion control of the system;
It was later bundled with the console along with Wii Sports;
It has quite interesting gameplay.
8. Mario Kart Wii
Mario cart wii video game Granum
Sales: 37 million copies
Year of release: 2008
Developer: Nintendo Wii
Amazingly, the video game has surpassed Need for Speed as the most successful racing series ever. In Mario Kart Wii, players choose characters from the Mario series, and they’re all invited to go kart racing on 32 different tracks, and are allowed to use different items to knock down opponents or earn bonuses.
7. Super Mario Bros.
Sales: 40 million copies
Year of release: 1985
Developer: Nintendo Wii
According to Guinness World Records, Super Mario Bros. is the number one selling NES game to date. The iconic platformer that entertained an entire generation, Wall later released the arcade. It’s also the only game to launch on the game development company’s servers alongside a project that creates and shares various levels.
6. Pokémon Red/Blue/Green/Yellow
Sales: 45 million copies
Year of release: 1996
Developer: Nintendo Wii
Pokémon is considered an era-defining video game in Japan. First, it’s available to gamers in 2 versions: red and green. Then, after expanding to Europe and the US, it was offered in blue and yellow (special “Pikachu” editions).
While Nintendo did not provide exact sales figures, multiple researchers have calculated that the four versions combined have sold more than 45 million copies worldwide.
5. Player unknown’s Battlegrounds
Sales: 50 million copies
Year of release: 2017
Developer: PUBG Corporation
Believe it or not, but Player unknown’s Battlegrounds is currently the #1 best-selling game on PC. You might be wondering why Fortnight isn’t here. Well…even though both games belong to the same type of niche (Battle Royale), Fortnight is free to play and doesn’t sell any copies.
4. Wii Sports
Sales: 83 million copies
Year of release: 2006
Developer: Nintendo Wii
This is the title of the best performing company.
This fun emulator has been successfully bundled in almost all regions since the launch of the Nintendo Wii. Today, the video game is the best-selling single-platform exclusive development of all time.
3. Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V Video Game
Sales: 110 million copies
Year of release: 2013
Developer: Rock star
In the fall of 2018, Grand Theft Auto V became the third video game to sell 100 million copies. But there’s another noteworthy record: as of 2019, Grand Theft Auto V is known as the most profitable release in the world (and not just in the gaming industry!). As of April 2018, it has generated more than $6 billion in revenue, more than any other game, book or movie.
2. Minecraft
Sales: 176 million copies
Year of release: 2009
Developer: Morang
As of May 2019, Minecraft has sold 176 million copies (if you don’t count more than 200 million Chinese users who signed up for free).
Thousands of children and teens have been playing Minecraft over the past few years, and for many of them, it’s the only game that really matters. Minecraft fans can create almost anything they want in a huge virtual world. Even if players get tired of this freedom, they can participate in some fantasy stories and achieve some goals. Such an engaging and well-crafted adventure has become one of the most popular video games of all time.
1. Tetris
Sales: 500 million copies
Year of release: 1984
Developer: Tetris Corporation
What video game sells the most? Tetris is considered the most evergreen video game of all time. Millions still love it and the big tournaments are still going on. Since its initial release, the iconic puzzle game has been distributed to 50 different platforms.
There are many modern versions of the original puzzle game that are still being developed and promoted. For example, Tetris 99, a battle royal-inspired video game, was recently released for the Nintendo Switch.
Conclusion
Since our list is based on copy number, it does not represent popularity. Many games are free – in many cases, a download or an online connection will suffice. So if you’ve ever wondered what the most popular video game in the world is, you’ve got it now. Read about the video game development process
If you have an idea or concept that could turn into a masterpiece and earn a place in the most popular video game, feel free to contact the Mellor Games team. These guys are very talented and experienced in developing any genre for any platform.