Summary

• The top-selling games of all time have had a lasting impact, with some like Pac-Man and Tetris still being sold today, attracting new generations of players.
• Games like Animal Crossing: New Horizons provided much-needed entertainment during trying times, and Wii Fit even turned gaming into a workout.
• Franchises like The Witcher and Grand Theft Auto have seen immense success, with their games selling millions of copies and becoming household names in the gaming industry.

Since the home video game industry started to boom in the late '70s, the market has continued to grow, with video games now prominently centered at the forefront of many people's lives, especially ever-popular casual games like Animal Crossing and Mario Kart. They offer a chance for adventure, competition, community, and, depending on the game, even scares or laughter. Games help communities through trying times such as the worldwide pandemic in 2020, and can even help with exercise programs.

While literally millions of video games have been released throughout the decades, some have turned into absolute phenomenons, withstanding the test of time and becoming the best-selling games ever. Many of the original games from the 1980s are still being sold today, such as Pac-Man and Tetris. Some iconic games have become hit television shows like The Witcher. Whatever their start may have been, here are the top-selling games of all time that have touched hearts and changed the world.

15 Pac-Man: 42.07 Million

If any game had a long time to ring up its sales, it is the original Pac-Man. That arcade version hit in 1980, and then it quickly moved over to the Atari 2600 in 1982. Since that time, it has hit countless consoles; add in mobile phones and computer versions, and there were a lot of opportunities for sales, which makes it a no-brainer that it would be a bestseller. The 42.07 million units sold (per Digital Trends) include arcade cabinets, console versions, computer versions, and mobile phone versions. With 30+ million coming from mobile phone buyers, there is a good chance that Pac-Man keeps making more money as new generations discover the maze game.

14 Animal Crossing: New Horizons: 42.79 Million

Lucky timing and a great cozy gaming experience helped skyrocket sales for Animal Crossing: New Horizons when it was released during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The wholesome life sim experience combined with adorable and peaceful gameplay provided exactly what was needed during that time, and fostered a love of cozy games for many who had not experienced it before. According to financial data from Nintendo, as of June 2023, the game has sold nearly 43 million copies.

13 Wii Fit / Plus: 43.8 Million

The Wii Fit was a monster seller when the Nintendo Wii was one of the best-selling consoles on the market. It took the idea of playing a game and then added the bonus of being an exercise device as well. It gave parents something to do when their kids weren't playing games. This might be a good reason why it has sold 43.8 million copies, along with the Plus version. According to Nintendo in 2022, the Wii Fit has sold 22.67 million copies, while the Wii Fit Plus is right behind it with 21.13 million.

12 Terraria: 44.5+ Million

Terraria started out as a Windows-exclusive game in 2011, but it has since been ported onto other platforms. It is a 2D sandbox game that involves building, exploring, crafting, combat, mining, and survival, and features both single-player modes and multiplayer adventures. While Terraria includes a lot of inspiration from Minecraft, it gained a life of its own. The game sold over 432,000 copies in its first month, and has since sold over 44.5 million copies worldwide (per Steam).

11 Pokémon (Generation 1): 45-47 Million

Nintendo has never outright listed sales figures for the first generation of Pokémon games (Red, Blue, Yellow, Green). However, through calculations, the common belief is that a little over 45 million copies were sold. However, because some first-gen titles are still for sale virtually for the 3DS, the numbers have risen even higher, with Digital Trends estimating sales numbers to be around 47 million total units sold. The release of Pokémon was a crucial moment in Nintendo's history, proving the company could still produce hits in an ever-changing market. To date, the franchise has become one of the best-selling of all time and remains popular to this day.

10 The Witcher 3: 50 Million

The Witcher has exploded in popularity as a franchise since the release of its most successful video game, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Based on Polish novels and short story collections written by Andrzej Sapkowski, the fantasy franchise has reached its height thanks to a series adaption by Netflix. Even prior to its recent success, the franchise enjoyed the limelight when The Witcher 3 released, subsequently selling around 50 million coppies, according to Forbes. The first two games offer unique and fun experiences in their own right, but The Witcher 3 has been hailed as one of the more engrossing RPGs ever made.

9 Overwatch: 50+ Million

Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch launched in 2016 and quickly shot up the sales charts. With it reaching all gaming systems and featuring almost limitless gameplay action, it gained a massive fan base. According to Bloomberg, it was not a surprise that a sequel was coming thanks to the sales of the original. The original sold over 50 million copies since its release, with its sequel, Overwatch 2, hitting close to 35 million copies so far.

8 Red Dead Redemption 2: 55+ Million

Rockstar Games has released some of the most exciting, immersive, and best-selling games ever, like Manhunt and Max Payne. But one of the studio's most famous franchises is Red Dead Redemption. The games allow players to embark on missions and side quests in a massive open world, all set in a fictionalized version of the Wild West. From train chases to shootouts, Red Dead Redemption 2 is a near-perfect gaming experience and had a huge jump in graphics from its predecessor. The timeless masterpiece of Red Dead Redemption 2 continues to be a favorite for many and has sold over 55 million copies (via Destructoid).

7 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe: 55.46 Million

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and its Mario Kart 8 counterpart for the Wii U, have sold a total of 55.46 million copies per Nintendo's financial reports in 2023. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has continued to sell copies and remains popular even though it was originally released in 2014 due to its continued content pack updates with new characters, tracks, and more. The Mario Kart series has had many clones over the years, but it remains fixed as the standard for others to hold themselves to in cheerful kart-racing games.

6 The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: 60+ Million

Bethesda's hit game Skyrim has become almost a household name, with over 60 million copies (via GamesRadar) of the dragon-battling RPG selling in the years since its release in 2011. Besides DLC for the game, and rereleases on many different platforms, modders have played a large part in making this modern classic have incredible replay value. Although its sequel is currently in development, it will be hard for the next Elder Scrolls game to stand up to the legacy that Skyrim has provided.

5 PUBG: Battlegrounds: 75+ Million

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, rebranded to PUBG: Battlegrounds, has sold over 75 million copies according to the company's six-year anniversary marketing (via GameSpot). The game is a battle royale shooter, where numerous online players duke it out to be the last one standing. The game was reportedly inspired by the Japanese film Battle Royale, which is also alleged to be the inspiration for The Hunger Games. PUBG was the first battle royale in what has turned into a tremendously successful genre, including other monolithic titles like Fortnite, Call of Duty: Warzone, and Apex Legends.

4 Wii Sports: 82.9 Million

Wii Sports is one of the most influential games of all time. Not only did it revolutionize what gaming could be and turn sports into a virtual experience, but it helped drive Wii sales, putting Nintendo back on top. After selling almost 83 million copies according to Nintendo's own numbers, the game's sequel, Wii Sports Resort, became extremely successful as well by selling over 33 million copies. Anyone who owned a Wii in the mid-2000s surely remembers going bowling, playing baseball, or even boxing against their loved ones right in their own living room. Wii Sports was more than a game, it was a cultural phenomenon.

3 Grand Theft Auto 5: 185+ Million

For many players, Grand Theft Auto is the perfect combination of action, combat, open-world exploration, and story. It's the pinnacle example of what a great game can be, and that's proven in the franchises' incredible sales numbers. As of August 2023, GTA 5 has sold more than 185 million copies according to Rockstar Intel. GTA 3, Vice City, San Andreas, and GTA 4 are all heavily praised and are among some of the best game sequels of all time. GTA 5, however, has outsold all of them and continues to sell copies a decade after its release thanks to the continuing popularity of its multiplayer mode, Grand Theft Auto Online.

2 Minecraft: 300+ Million

The concept of Minecraft might sound simple: it's basically like playing with virtual LEGO bricks. Players can take blocks and then build them into whatever they want. But something much bigger happened inside this simplistic game. The music was calming and inviting, the scenery was gorgeous, and the panoramic views of epic creations like castles, skyscrapers, and roller coasters were absolutely breathtaking. Minecraft is so powerful because it can literally become whatever a player wants it to be. The imagination of the player guides the gameplay. Social media and YouTube have also helped the game, allowing players to show off their creations to the world. In a recent Minecraft Live YouTube event, it was announced that there have been over 300 million copies of the game sold in less than 15 years since the game debuted.

1 Tetris: 520+ Million

Tetris has been around for decades and has been released for almost every electronic device ever created. It began as a computer game and then made its way to consoles like the NES and Genesis/Mega Drive. It even became an arcade game, was wildly successful on Nintendo's handheld Game Boy, and was later released on every major console and mobile device. To put it simply; everyone has played Tetris, and it has sold over 520 million copies according to the official Tetris website. Surprisingly, despite being almost 40 years old, it remains popular and relevant to this day. It's a simple puzzle game that is addicting, challenging, and a lot of fun, so it's easy to see why it's still loved by so many and remains one of the best-selling games of all time, beating out more complex modern games like Animal Crossing and Mario Kart.

Sources: Digital Trends (1, 2), Nintendo (1, 2), Steam, Forbes, Bloomberg, Destructoid, ​​​​​​​GamesRadar, GameSpot, ​​​​​​​Rockstar Intel, Minecraft/YouTube, Tetris