Games have always been about numbers. Sega and Nintendo were big rivals in the 90s. Nowadays, we still pay a lot of attention to sales numbers and reports every month. New ways to make money in games need new ways to measure if they’re working. Things like how many people are playing each month, how many players keep coming back, and how much money the game is making.
But the industry’s biggest question remains: The best selling video games of all time, which ones are to answer that question. We set out to compile the most accurate list possible by reaching out to publishers and combing through financial reports, news, interviews, and more. Here’s a simpler version of the list of the top ten best selling video games of all time:
Some notes up front:
- Pack-in games are counted in sales collections, considering that most of the games on this list were, at one point, bundled with the console.
- Free downloads are not counted as sales, which excludes massively successful games like Fortnite and League of Legends from such a list.
- Due to a lack of available sales data, we were unable to include some of the games on this list. For example, we reached out to Activision-Blizzard to get the latest sales numbers for Diablo 3 (30 million units sold as of June 2015) and the Call of Duty franchise, but to include those games in this list. No update received for
10 Best selling video games of all time
10. Overwatch – 50 million
According to a report from Bloomberg in April 2022, Blizzard’s game Overwatch has sold 50 million copies. Overwatch elevated the hero shooter genre with outstanding game design, thoughtfully crafted heroes, and continued sports support. In October 2022, Overwatch was replaced by its sequel, Overwatch 2, which is free to play.
First came out on May 24, 2016 | Available on: PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC | Got a perfect score of 10 in IGN review.
9. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – 50 million plus
The Witcher 3 was added to the list in May 2023 when CD Projekt Red announced that its seminal RPG had sold 50 million copies. The total sales of The Witcher series are over 75 million.
The developer is now working on several new Witcher games, including The Witcher 4 and The Witcher 1 remake.
Release Date: May 18, 2015 | Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, PC | IGN Review Score: 9.3
8. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – 60 million plus
After staying quiet for many years about Skyrim’s sales figures. Todd Howard from Bethesda finally shared in June 2023 that the RPG had sold more than 60 million copies. Since it first came out in 2011. “Imagine, it’s been 12 years since Skyrim,” Howard shared with IGN. “We’ve got a game that’s been bought over 60 million times, and all those players are still actively enjoying it.”
Released on November 11, 2011 | Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Xbox 360, PS3, PC | Received a review score of 9.5 from IGN.
7. Red Dead Redemption 2 – 61 million plus
The most recently released game to grab a spot in the top ten is Red Dead Redemption 2. According to publisher Take-Tos latest financial report, Rockstar’s Western epic has sold more than 61 million copies by December 2023.
Launched on October 26, 2018 | Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC | Received a perfect score of 10 from IGN.
6. Mario Kart 8, Deluxe – 69.04 million
According to Nintendo. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is the best-selling Switch game, with over 60 million copies sold as of December 31, 2023. With a sales boost from the original Wii U release. Total sales reached over 69 million copies, making it the sixth best-selling game of all time.
Released on May 29, 2014 | Available on: Switch, Wii U | Deluxe version received a review score of 9.3 from IGN.
5. PUBG – 75 million
This the best video selling game. Given its key role in the growing popularity of battle royale games over the past five years. It’s no surprise that PUBG has been such a huge sales success. Crafton creative director Dave Curd told The Verge that it had sold 75 million copies of PUBG as of December 2021. This will likely be the shooter’s last sales figure, as it went free-to-play a month later in January 2022.
While free mobile downloads don’t count towards its overall sales. It’s worth noting that PUBG Mobile has been downloaded over 1 billion times as of March 2021.
Released on March 23, 2017 (Early Access), this game is accessible on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Stadia platforms. IGN awarded it a review score of 9.5.
4. Wii Sports – 82.9 million
Nintendo’s official sales data confirms that Wii Sports is indeed the company’s top-selling game ever. While many games on this list were eventually bundled with their respective consoles, Wii Sports was uniquely bundled with the Wii upon its launch in nearly all regions. With nearly 83 million copies sold, it is the best-selling platformer of all time.
Released on November 19, 2006 | Platform: Wii | Received a review score of 7.5 from IGN.
3. Grand Theft Auto V – 195 million plus
Grand Theft Auto 5 claims the title of the best-selling console/PC-only game of all time, with the top two entries on the list being mobile versions. Sales of Rockstar’s most ambitious GTA yet have crossed 195 million units by December 2023. These numbers combine game sales from three console generations and PC between 2013 and 2022.
GTA 5 was the fastest entertainment release from any medium to reach $1 billion in retail sales . And has since earned Rockstar and Take-Two billions more, at least as of 2018. Made more profitable entertainment releases than Total sales of the franchise were 420 million units sold.
Rockstar is currently developing GTA 6.
Originally released on September 17, 2013 | Available on: PS5, PS4, PS3, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC | Received a perfect review score of 10 from IGN.
2. Minecraft – 300 million+
This one is the best video selling games of all the time. Minecraft has sold more than 300 million copies by October 2023. Mojing announced during this year’s Minecraft Live (via Windows Central ). This figure captures Minecraft’s cross-platform sales total. Minecraft has surpassed its medium like few others before, with completed or ongoing projects spanning film, Netflix, education, toys, and more.
Released on May 17, 2009 (Classic Version) | Available on: Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, PS Vita, Switch, Wii U, 3DS, PC, VR, Mobile, and other platforms | Received a review score of 9 from IGN.
1. Tetris – 520 million
Arguably the most timeless video game ever made. Tetris sits comfortably on the all-time best-seller list with 520 million copies, according to The Tetris Company. That number includes sales on all available platforms, with the majority coming from mobile (425 million paid mobile downloads as of 2014, according to Henk Rogers, managing director of The Tetris Company).
Tetris was originally released for the Soviet-made Electronika 60 computer. And since then variations of the classic puzzler have been made for more than 50 different platforms. Its most notable contribution was propelling the Game Boy to success, ultimately selling 35 million copies on Nintendo’s handheld console.
Modern variations of the classic are still being released:
Tetris Effect: Connected brought the puzzler to current-generation consoles with an emotional twist. While more recently, in 2020, SEGA released Puyo Puyo Tetris 2.
Released: On June 6, 1984 for Elektronika 60 in the USSR | Available: various platforms. | Received a review score of 9 from IGN.
