The 12 Best Selling Video Games of All Time 2023

Over the past few decades, video games have become an integral part of the entertainment industry. There are more gaming platforms now than ever before, so it is only natural that video game sales and the number of players are also at an all-time high.

If you are looking for guaranteed great games to play that have made an impact on gaming culture, we have compiled the 12 best-selling video games of all time for you to dive into. Take note that this list includes all consoles and devices, and is based on total copies sold across all platforms.

From action-adventure to sandbox and even arcade-style games, there is something for everyone. Check out our list down below.

12. Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) – 38 Million Copies

Rockstar Games

Red Dead Redemption 2 is the most recent game on our list. Developed and published by Rockstar Games in 2018, this is the prequel to the popular game, Red Dead Redemption. It is set in a fictional version of the United States in 1899, where gangs and the government are in a constant fight for power and money.

You play Arthur Morgan who is part of the Van der Linde gang. Morgan is trying to help his gang avoid detection from government agents while also doing his best to escape his life of crime.

Red Dead Redemption 2 can be played from a first or third-person perspective in a beautiful open-world environment. There are dozens of side quests that you can do without having to follow the main storyline. RDR2 is famous for its world-building, musical score, and immersive storyline.

The game has sold more than 38 million copies in just three years, making it one of the most successful games of the 21st century. 

11. Pac-Man (1980) – 40.9 Million Copies

Nintendo

It is almost a surprise that this title is only at number 11 on our list. Pac-Man is easily one of the most popular games of all time. Generations of gamers have experienced at least one version of this game on some form of platform over their life.

Pac-Man was developed and released by Namco in 1980 for arcade machines worldwide. The gameplay is simple but addictive. You control the protagonist, Pac-Man, who needs to eat all the dots inside the maze while avoiding the ghosts roaming around. Touching a ghost will kill Pac-Man.

When you eat the large flashing dots, the ghosts will turn blue. This means you can eat the ghosts for bonus points, leaving you with less to avoid later. Each of the four ghosts has different personalities which will help you predict their movements going forward. Each level gradually gets more difficult as well.

Pac-Man has sold almost 41 million copies across all platforms since 1980.

10. Tetris (Nintendo, 1989) – 43 Million Copies

Nintendo

This is the first appearance of a Tetris game on our list, but not the last. While EA’s version was exclusively for mobile devices, this one by Nintendo was made for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game Boy. Released in 1989, this game was included in the bundle for the Game Boy upon the console’s release.

It was also made compatible with the Game Link Cable which allowed two Game Boys to link up and play against each other. The game plays like the classic arcade version of Tetris where you have to place different blocks to form and clear lines before it hits the ceiling. The playing area is 10 blocks wide and 18 blocks high.

The further you get into the game, the harder it gets as the tiles start to fall faster, so you have to adapt quickly.

Tetris has sold more than 43 million copies worldwide since 1989.

9. Wii Fit/Plus (2007) – 43.8 Million Copies

Nintendo

Wii Fit is an exclusive title released together with the console. An enhanced version, Wii Fit Plus, was released in 2009 with 15 additional balance and aerobics games, six new strength training activities, and yoga demonstrations.

Wii Fit also comes with a Wii Balance Board that you use for most of their games and activities. Standing on the Balance Board, the Wii will track your center of balance and relay that information to the game.

There are more than 50 different activities available, so you are free to choose which fits you the best. In some cases, the game has even been used by physical rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, and health clubs for their exercise routines.

The Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus titles have sold more than 43 million copies worldwide since 2007.

8. Mario Kart 8/Deluxe (2014) – 45.5 Million Copies

Nintendo

Another cult classic, Mario Kart 8 was developed and published by Nintendo in 2014 for the Wii U. The enhanced deluxe version was later released for the Nintendo Switch in 2017, where it quickly became the console’s best-selling game.

The game retains the classic gameplay and mechanics typical of the Mario Kart series. You need to race against the other Super Mario characters in karts, collecting items and abilities on the track. Use these to slow down or even stop your opponents so you can overtake them.

In addition, Mario Kart continues to be a popular video game to play among gaming streamers. On platforms like Twitch, streamers often play the game because it can host a lot of players and create interactions between their fellow streamers.

Mario Kart has become a very popular title over the years, with this installment having sold over 45 million copies for the Wii U and Switch consoles combined.

7. Pokémon Red/Green/Blue/Yellow (1996) – 47.5 Million Copies

Nintendo

Developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo, this generation of Pokémon games is the franchise’s most popular and best-selling. It was released in 1996 for the handheld console, Game Boy. Pokémon Yellow was released two years later as an enhanced version where you have Pikachu as the starter Pokémon and it follows you on your travels.

The Pokémon media franchise has made over $92 billion worldwide, and you could say it owes all its success to the Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow versions that started it all. Remakes of these versions were later released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004, called FireRed and LeafGreen.

You play as the main protagonist in their quest to complete the Pokedex by finding and catching all 151 Pokémon. Along the way, you will try to collect all the gym badges and eventually defeat the Elite Four to become the Pokémon Champion.

Due to there being several color variations, many diehard fans purchased all the different releases, helping make the game a smash hit and sell in excess of 47.5 million copies.

6. Super Mario Bros. (1985) – 58 Million Copies

Nintendo

This is one of the oldest and most easily recognizable titles on our list. Super Mario Bros. was first released in 1985 as a sequel to the popular Mario Bros. arcade game. Developed and published by Nintendo, it was the first installment of the Super Mario series that is still ongoing today.

You play as the iconic main character, Mario, as he runs across the Mushroom Kingdom and tries to save Princess Toadstool. The goal is to accomplish each level by surviving against the villain Bowser’s minions and collect all the coins and items along the way. In multiplayer mode, player two will play as Mario’s younger brother, Luigi.

Its gameplay and graphics were revolutionary at the time, so Super Mario Bros. quickly became the most popular game in the world. While it was originally released for arcade machines and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), other versions have been made for several different consoles so everyone can enjoy this classic franchise.

5. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (2017) – 70 Million Copies

PUGB Corporation

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds took the gaming community by storm when it was first released. Developed and published by PUBG Corporation, this battle royale multiplayer was released in 2017 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Stadia, and Xbox One. A free-to-play mobile version was also created for Android and iOS.

A hundred players are dropped into an island where they will have to fight each other until only one person or team is left standing. The playable area of the map gradually shrinks overtime to force players and teams to engage each other in battle.

Once you parachute onto the island, you need to find weapons, armor, and other items quickly before anyone kills you. There are different strategies that players employ to win a match. You can be aggressive and try to kill everyone early, or take a more cautious approach by hiding and ambushing players from a safe spot.

In only four years, PUBG has already sold more than 70 million copies across all platforms and remains an online favorite. 

4. Wii Sports (2006) – 82.9 Million Copies

Nintendo

The Nintendo Wii was the most popular console during its peak, so it’s no surprise another title released on the platform makes an appearance on this list. Released in 2006, Wii Sports is the most popular of the exclusive Wii titles.

This sports simulation video game originally featured five different sports, including tennis, baseball, bowling, boxing, and golf, before the Wii Sports Resort came later on. Being able to play these sports using motion sensors and the Wii Remote was groundbreaking at the time.

You play using real-life movements, which means you swing the remote like a tennis racket, baseball bat, or golf club just like you would in real life. You can play single player against the computer or multiplayer with and against your friends. In single-player, the more games you win, the stronger your opponent will get.

3. Tetris (EA, 2006) – 100 Million Copies

EA

This might come as a surprise to some people given the other massive titles on our list. However, you should take into account how popular Tetris has been for decades, even though this game has only been on the market since 2006.

Tetris by Electronic Arts is a mobile game that is available for Android, iOS, BlackBerry OS, and Windows Phone. There is also a version available for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable.

The game features two game modes called Marathon and Magic. Marathon is the classic version of the arcade game where you are scored for each line that you clear. It lasts for 15 levels. Magic also has 15 levels with increasing difficulty. It also features objects that you can use to help clear lines.

Tetris has sold more than 100 million copies worldwide and is one of the most popular mobile phone games ever released.

2. Grand Theft Auto V (2013) – 150 Million Copies

Rockstar Games

Grand Theft Auto V may be second to our number one title in terms of copies sold, but it is right up there at the top when it comes to cultural impact and name recognition. Following the footsteps of cult classics Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, this 2013 sequel improved on everything that the GTA franchise is known for.

Set in the fictional state of San Andreas, you will play as three different main characters over the course of the game. Throughout, you will also go on heists while avoiding the authorities and other criminal organizations.

Players have taken advantage of the game’s massive multiplayer servers and modded them into roleplaying servers. In 2020, several GTA V roleplay servers dominated the video game streaming community.

GTA V has been a top-tier game since its release in 2013 and continues to gain new players year after year, so there is no surprise that it is the second best-selling video game of all time.

1. Minecraft (2011) – 238 Million Copies

Mojang Studios

It probably comes as no surprise that Minecraft is on the top of the list. This sandbox video game was developed by Mojang Studios and was released in 2011 for Windows, macOS, and Linux. An Xbox version was later released for console gamers to enjoy as well.

Minecraft puts you in a 3D world where you can go on adventures, fight other players, or simply unleash your creativity. The terrain is infinite in all directions, so you are basically free to create as big of a world as you want. Some of the most creative players have even recreated real-life structures, cities, and in some cases, entire countries.

In addition to the classic version of Minecraft, players have also created modded versions of the game featuring new items, environments, and enhanced gameplay.

The game has sold more than 238 million copies worldwide and still has more than 140 million monthly users today. Minecraft is by far the highest-selling video game of all time despite being one of the newest ones on the list.

Categories: Entertainment
Source: Tekmonk Famous Biography