The gaming industry was once famously ridiculed as “just a passing fad” by Michael Moon, an official representative of the board game maker Milton Bradley in 1977. However, that history is proof that is far from the case, with the videogame industry now worth a staggering $200 billion in 2022. Video games have become the ultimate form of entertainment not just for kids, but for adults too, enabling them to fulfill all their fantasies in the virtual world which would be impossible otherwise. Be it Spider-Man and save New York City against the Sinister Six? No problem. Want to be part of the Italian Mob and take on rival gangs in 1930s Chicago? Of course. Video games allow you to be just about anything imaginable. It is due to this that the virtual world of gaming has been highly successful so far, with video games raking in millions of dollars. However, some of them stand above the rest.
From Minecraft to GTA 5, check out the top 5 best-selling video games of all time with the full list of 10 at the bottom.
1. Minecraft (2011) – 300 million units
Minecraft, developed by Mojang Studios, is a sandbox game in a world where players can explore, build, fight, or simply survive. Launched in 2011, it has become the best-selling video game of all time with 238 million copies sold across multiple platforms.
2. GTA 5 (2013) – 185 million units
Grand Theft Auto 5 or GTA 5 is Rockstar Games’ open-world action-adventure and is the 7th main entry in the Grand Theft Auto series. It puts players in the shoes of three characters – Michael, Franklin, and Trevor. Players can carry out several nefarious activities such as planning heists, robbing people, and stealing cars, alongside following the main storyline. GTA 5 is the second best-selling video game of all time with 175 million copies shipped.
3. Tetris (2006) – 100 million units
Who doesn’t love Tetris? Not the one developed by Alexey Pajitnov in 1985, but Electronic Arts’ version that was released in 2006. In Tetris, players need to place different shapes on top of each other to complete the lines which then disappear, freeing up space for more lines. Tetris is the third best-selling video game of all time with 100 million units sold.
4. Wii Sports (2006) – 82.9 million units
Wii Sports came out in 2006 and took the world by storm. It features five different sports for players to enjoy – tennis, baseball, bowling, golf, and boxing. Owing to its popularity, Wii Sports has become the fourth best-selling video game of all time, with 82.9 million copies shipped.
5. PUBG: Battlegrounds (2017) – 75 million units
Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds or PUBG: Battlegrounds is a PvP game where 100 players engage in battle to survive until the end and earn “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner”. It is an immensely popular game that has catapulted it to the fifth spot in the list of the best-selling video games of all time with 75 million units sold, despite being launched in 2017.
Check out the full list of top 10 best-selling video games of all time below.
1. Minecraft – 238 million copies sold
2. GTA 5 – 185 million copies sold
3. Tetris – 100 million copies sold
4. Wii Sports – 82.9 million copies sold
5. PUBG: Battlegrounds – 75 million copies sold
6. Mario Kart 8/Deluxe – 63.9 million copies sold
7. Super Mario Bros. – 58 million copies sold
8. Red Dead Redemption 2 – 55 million copies sold
9. Overwatch – 50 million copies sold
10. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – 50 million copies sold
