Ever wondered what the best-selling video games are, here is our list of the 5 best-selling video games of all time. ? This post takes a look at the top 5 best sellers as of 2023.
- PUBG (75 million)
PUBG (previously known as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds) was launched in 2017 and in the last 6 years it has become the fifth best-selling video game of all time. 75 million copies have been sold across multiple consoles since the game’s launch. In 2022, PUBG became free to play, putting an end to its sales tally. However, the game’s popularity still continues to grow by the day and it has currently been downloaded onto mobile over 1 billion times. The success of this game comes down to its straightforward and influential Battle-Royale-style gameplay.
Wii Sports (82.9 million)
If you ever owned a Nintendo Wii, it’s likely that Wii Sports was purchased with it as part of a bundle. Consequently, over 82 million copies of Wii Sports have been sold around the world, making it the best selling Nintendo game (above Mario Kart 8 and Super Mario Bros). Wii Sports allows players to choose from 5 sports: tennis, baseball, bowling, golf and boxing. Each sport can be played interactively using the Wii remote. The game was heavily promoted at the time for its ability to encourage gamers to stay physically active, which encouraged many parents to buy it for their kids and their family.
Tetris (100 million)
Tetris is one of the oldest games on this list – it was first created back in 1985 and was a popular arcade machine game long into the 90s. Tetris has been released in many forms over the years on many consoles, however most of its sales come from its EA mobile app version that was available to purchase from 2010 to 2020. The game’s success comes down to its simplicity in which players must quickly slot descending blocks into gaps.
The 5 Best-Selling Video Games Of All Time
Grand Theft Auto V (180 million)
The second best-selling video game of all time, Grand Theft Auto V, has sold a whopping 180 million copies since its release in 2013. The Rockstar North developed game was sold across various consoles and quickly became popular upon its release due to the existing popularity of previous GTA games. If you’ve played any of the GTA games, you’ll likely understand their mass appeal. GTA 6 is likely to be released within the next few years and may well top GTA V in terms of sales.
Minecraft (238 million)
Since 2019, Minecraft has continued to be the best-selling video game, attracting millions of new players every year. Initially released in 2011, Minecraft challenged everything a video game should be by doing away with flashy graphics and storylines, instead encouraging players to use their imagination and explore its vast world. Players can join Minecraft Survival servers and work for their blocks while fending off mobs, or they can play Creative Mode and build vast impressive structures and even cities. The game is what you make of it.
Will a game ever top Minecraft?
Right now, Minecraft is fairly far in the lead and sales show no sign of slowing. However, as the recent roaring success of PUBG has shown, a new game can quickly rise in popularity. As new AI technology is introduced and AR/VR technology gets better, we could see a new game that is able to compete with the popularity of Minecraft. But just what could that game be?
