Microsoft is the newest entrant into the video game console race, with the original Xbox debuting almost seven years after Sony's first PlayStation system. The Xbox brand has since been a mainstay of mainstream gaming alongside Nintendo and Sony, culminating thus far in the currently sold-out Xbox Series X/S. In that time, the console family has seen a number of hit games, from Xbox-exclusives to third-party titles.
The Xbox brand has its fair share of first-party series, like Halo and Gears of War, but its place in video game history was cemented by its online services. Xbox Live delivered online gaming to console fans in ways Nintendo and Sony hadn't pursued. This helped the online gaming ecosystem expand from the confines of PCs, bringing together millions of players around the globe. Xbox now continues to make headlines with its Game Pass subscription service - one of the best deals in gaming, thanks to its ever-growing library of quality titles.
The Xbox Series X and S have only been available for a few months at the time of writing, and Microsoft hasn't shared sales data for its newest consoles, so the Xbox Series X/S won't be appearing on this list of best-selling Xbox games. What can be discussed are the best-selling games on older Xbox systems, dating back to the original console.
Original Xbox's Best-Selling Game: Halo 2
It's no surprise that Master Chief kicks off this list, considering Halo: Combat Evolved helped established the Xbox brand, but the original Microsoft console's best-selling game is actually that game's sequel. According to CNN, Halo 2 sold more than 8 million units over its lifespan, beating out all other original Xbox games, according to VGChartz. This was an impressive start for the Xbox line, especially considering it was facing off against the PlayStation 2, which is still the best-selling game console of all time. The Halo franchise is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021 and has an upcoming entry in Halo Infinite, so it has proven its staying power.
Xbox 360's Best-Selling Game: Kinect Adventures
It might be surprising to learn a relatively unknown game is the popular Xbox 360's best-selling title. According to VGChartz, the best-selling Xbox 360 game is Kinect Adventures, with 21.57 million units sold. This high number is likely due to the fact that Kinect Adventures was packaged with all versions of the Kinect itself. As such, the actual figure may be somewhere around 24 million units sold, according to a 2013 Microsoft announcement of Kinect sales (via Polygon).
Pack-in games tend to appear on many best-selling game lists, much like how Wii Sports is the best-selling Nintendo Wii game. Kinect Adventures is actually similar to Wii Sports in other ways, being a series of minigames that utilize the Kinect motion sensor. The second best-selling 360 game was Grand Theft Auto 5, moving 15.49 million copies for the system, according to VGChartz.
Xbox One's Best-Selling Game: Grand Theft Auto 5
Grand Theft Auto 5 was released during the previous generation, but it rose to the top in the Xbox One era. According to Statista, it's the best-selling Xbox One game, with more than 8.7 million copies sold. That's only about half the units of the 360 version, but GTA 5 continues to dominate sales across multiple platforms to this day, thanks to its consistently updated and well-monetized online mode. The only question now is whether it will also top the sales charts for Xbox Series X/S in the future.