10 Best-Selling Games of All Time

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Video games have a long history, starting in 1958, and have become a massive industry. It now generates around $200 billion each year, with most of that revenue coming from game sales themselves. We decided to analyze what games people are actually buying, so we compiled a list of the 10 best-selling games of all time. The list contains both expected and surprising titles, and is ordered from lowest to highest sales numbers.

10) Super Mario Bros.

In the past, when you purchased a home video game console, it typically included a game. While this isn’t common now, it was standard practice in the 1980s, and Nintendo fully participated. The Nintendo Entertainment System often came with a free game, most frequently Super Mario Bros. Because the system was so popular, Super Mario Bros. became one of the best-selling video games ever, ranking tenth overall. Although it’s been released on many consoles since 1985, most of its 58 million copies sold were originally on the NES, where Nintendo sold around 40.2 million copies.

9) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

While it’s the third game in the Witcher series, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is by far the most popular. Released in 2015 as a sequel to The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, it quickly became known as an exceptional game. Its immersive world, rich story, compelling characters, and excellent voice acting have led many to consider it one of the best action role-playing games of all time. The Witcher 3 has won numerous awards and been released on many different platforms. Remarkably, within ten years, it had sold over 60 million copies, representing 80% of all sales for the entire Witcher franchise.

8) Terraria

Released in 2011, Terraria is a popular action-adventure sandbox game that has captivated millions of players with its expansive world and endless possibilities. The game is packed with content, highly customizable through mods, and has received consistent updates since its launch. A strong community supports Terraria, and it’s now available on many platforms, including mobile devices. Remarkably, this 2D independent game with no defined objectives has sold over 64 million copies since 2011.

7) PUBG: Battlegrounds

Originally released as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds in 2017, and now known as PUBG: Battlegrounds, the game helped popularize the battle royale genre. Despite competition from Fortnite, which launched a few months earlier, PUBG: Battlegrounds has remained incredibly popular and has sold over 75 million copies across numerous platforms, including mobile devices. While Fortnite boasts around 650 million registered players, its free-to-play model means it doesn’t qualify for a list based on game sales.

6) Mario Kart 8

Although the Wii U console didn’t sell well, its most popular game was a huge hit. Mario Kart 8 sold 8.5 million copies on the Wii U, but its success didn’t stop there. When Nintendo replaced the Wii U with the Switch, they didn’t make a brand new Mario Kart game. Instead, they released Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, an upgraded version, which became the best-selling game on the Switch, selling over 70.6 million copies. Combining sales from both consoles, Mario Kart 8 and Deluxe have sold approximately 79.1 million copies in total.

5) Red Dead Redemption 2

Rockstar Games invested significant time and resources into creating Red Dead Redemption 2, and the effort was clearly worthwhile. Developed over eight years with their biggest team ever, the game is considered one of the greatest of all time. Since its 2018 launch on various platforms – including PCs – Red Dead Redemption 2 has received widespread critical acclaim, won numerous awards, and sold over 82 million copies.

4) Wii Sports

Pack-in games—where a game is included with a console—became uncommon after the 1990s, but Nintendo made a smart move with the 2006 release of the Wii. The Wii’s unique motion-based gameplay needed introductory titles, so Nintendo bundled Wii Sports with the console. This game taught players how to use the new controls through a variety of sports. Wii Sports was incredibly popular thanks to the Wii’s success, selling millions of copies and even leading to successful sequels on the Wii, Wii U, and Nintendo Switch. Nintendo sold a total of 82.9 million copies of Wii Sports.

3) Grand Theft Auto V

As a huge fan, I’ve noticed Rockstar Games takes their time with new Grand Theft Auto games, sometimes spanning multiple console generations. But honestly, it doesn’t seem to hurt sales at all! They consistently improve what they do, and they’ve been amazing with GTA V since it came out in 2013 – constantly updating it and re-releasing it on every new system. It’s sold an unbelievable 225 million copies so far, which is mind-blowing! Everyone’s anticipating GTA VI, and I have a feeling it’s going to absolutely smash that record when it finally arrives.

2) Minecraft

Minecraft started as a small, independent project created by Markus “Notch” Persson. It gained popularity during its testing phase, attracting millions of players. A strong community, including those who modified the game, helped Minecraft become hugely successful. Notch eventually sold Minecraft to Microsoft for an amazing $2.5 billion. Since its initial release on computers and then on almost every device imaginable, over 350 million copies have been sold, making it the best-selling independent video game of all time.

1) Tetris

The story of Tetris began with a single developer in the Soviet Union, who faced challenges bringing his game to the West. Eventually, it found its way to players thanks to people who recognized its potential as a bundled game with the Game Boy. This proved to be a huge success, and Tetris became the most popular puzzle game ever made. Released in 1988, it has since appeared on countless computers and gaming systems. With over 520 million copies sold worldwide, Tetris is officially the best-selling video game of all time.

What’s the best-selling video game of all time, in your opinion? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-04-30 17:17