Introduction

Best Selling Video Games Statistics: Video games have transformed into a worldwide cultural sensation, captivating diverse audiences across generations. The industry has seen the emergence of numerous titles boasting exceptional sales, solidifying their status as all-time best-selling video games.

Beyond revenue generation, these games have wielded enduring influence over pop culture and entertainment engagement. The sales landscape has shifted from physical editions to digital dissemination, with platforms like consoles, PCs, and mobile devices substantially impacting sales dynamics.

Editor’s Choice

• The projected revenue for the Video Games market is anticipated to reach approximately $334.00 billion in 2023.
• This sector is predicted to experience a consistent annual growth rate (CAGR 2023-2027) of about 8.74%, leading to an estimated market size of around $467.00 billion by 2027.
• By 2027, the Video Games market is expected to encompass approximately 3.1 billion users.
• User penetration will increase from 35.2% in 2023 to approximately 39.0% by 2027.
• Mobile Games hold the largest share among the market segments, with an expected market volume of about $173.60 billion in 2023.
• In terms of global revenue comparison, the United States is anticipated to generate the highest revenue, amounting to approximately $96.68 billion in 2023.
• The projected average revenue per user (ARPU) in the Video Games market is set to be around $123.60 in 2023.

Overall Best-Selling Video Games

• An array of standout titles marks the video gaming landscape regarding sales figures. Topping the charts is “Minecraft,” with a staggering 238 million units sold since its 2011 release by Mojang Studios.
• Following closely is “GTA 5,” which has amassed 175 million units in sales since its 2013 launch by Rockstar.
• Notably, “Tetris (EA)” secured the third spot with 100 million units sold, having been introduced by EA Mobile in 2006.
• “Wii Sports,” developed by Nintendo in 2006, has also enjoyed considerable success with 82.9 million units sold.
• The battle royale sensation “PUBG: Battlegrounds” from PUBG Corp has achieved a notable 75 million units sold since 2017.
• Further down the list, “Mario Kart 8” by Nintendo has raced to 60.5 million units sold since 2014.
• The iconic “Super Mario Bros.” from Nintendo’s vault boasts 58 million units sold, dating back to its 1985 debut.
• Rockstar’s “Read Dead Redemption 2” follows suit, with 50 million units sold since 2018.
• The timeless appeal of “Pokémon Red/Green/Blue/Yellow” by GameFreak is evident in its 47.5 million units sold since 1996.
• Rounding out the list, “Terraria,” crafted by Re-Logic in 2011, holds its own with 44.5 million units sold. These figures collectively underscore these noteworthy games’ enduring popularity and diverse appeal across different eras and genres.

(Source: Visual Capitalist)

Statistics for Grand Theft Auto V

• Rockstar Games struck gold with the launch of Grand Theft Auto 5, also known as GTA V, in 2013.
• In addition to receiving widespread acclaim, the game experienced remarkable sales, reaching 34 million units sold just one year after its release.
• Initially accessible on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 gaming systems, the developer subsequently adapted the game for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, and more recently, for the latest generation of consoles.
• Within a solitary day following its launch, it garnered an astonishing $800 million in earnings, reaching one billion dollars within a mere three days.
• For the fiscal year 2021, GTA Online attained a substantial $985 million in gains through microtransactions integrated into the gameplay.
• By the time April 2016 arrived, the online mode had already amassed $500 million, leading to a weekly revenue of approximately $13.5 million.
• As the calendar advanced to 2019, GTA Online produced an impressive daily amount of $5 million.
• During 2018, the game achieved a notable sales milestone of 90 million units, indicating that in the preceding year of 2017, Rockstar accomplished an impressive 15 million unit sales.
• In May 2019, Take-Two disclosed that the overall figure had risen to 110 million units, and by the year 2020, this number had climbed to 120 million units before the arrival of June or July.
• Throughout the fiscal years spanning from 2014 to 2021, GTA V consistently surpassed the threshold of 10 million units in annual sales, with its least productive year, 2019, still amassing a significant 13 million sales.
• In the UK, the achievement of selling 2 million units was fulfilled within a mere week.
• Furthermore, by 2017, GTA V achieved a remarkable feat by successfully selling an impressive 85 million copies exclusively in the United States.
• GTA 5’s sales momentum continued, with an additional 5 million units sold during the preceding quarter of 2023.  
• By 2020, a noteworthy 20 million copies were sold on the PS4, with North America contributing 30.3% of sales and Europe accounting for 48.5%.
• Importantly, GTA V retains its position as the most financially substantial game, with a production and marketing budget of $256 million.

(Source: Wikipedia, Tweak Town, IGN)

Minecraft Gaming Statistics

• Introduced in 2009 by Markus ‘Notch’ Persson, a game designer with prior experience at King, Minecraft garnered significant interest well before its official release.
• The alpha and beta versions, accessible to PC players, extended over two years, during which Mojang meticulously refined game elements and introduced additional content.
• In 2021, Minecraft generated a revenue of $380 million, with mobile earnings contributing $110 million.
• In 2020, more than 130 million individuals engaged with Minecraft monthly.
• The total sales of Minecraft across all available formats have exceeded 200 million units.
• Minecraft’s Chinese edition offered as a free game, has amassed over 400 million downloads.
• The revenue trajectory of the game Minecraft showcases a fluctuating pattern over the past decade. Starting in 2012 with $211 million, the earnings increased notably to $326 million in 2013.
• However, the subsequent year, 2014, saw a dip to $165 million.
• A resurgence occurred in 2015, reaching $350 million, followed by a further ascent to $420 million in 2016.
• The revenue for 2017 settled at $370 million. Subsequently, 2018 marked a substantial leap to $500 million before slightly receding to $375 million in 2019.
• In 2020, Minecraft’s revenue surged to $415 million, and in 2021, it amounted to $380 million, illustrating the dynamic financial journey the game has embarked upon over the years.
• The mobile revenue of Minecraft experienced a substantial growth trajectory from 2012 to 2021. Commencing at $21 million in 2012, the revenue steadily climbed to $33 million in 2013 and escalated to $45 million in 2014.
• The trend persisted with a rise to $55 million in 2015 and a notable leap to $72 million in 2016.
• The following year, 2017, brought in $77 million, followed by a subsequent increase to $88 million in 2018.
• In 2019, the mobile revenue surged to $111 million, and the upward trajectory continued with a significant jump to $142 million in 2020.
• The peak was achieved in 2021, as the mobile revenue of Minecraft reached an impressive $161 million, illustrating a consistent pattern of growth and success over the years.

(Source: Business of Apps, GamesBrief, PC Gamer, The Verge, VentureBeat, Sensor Tower)

Tetris Video Game Statistics

• Tetris, a legendary puzzle game introduced by game creator Alexey Pajitnov in 1984, maintains a significant influence within the world of video games and extends its impact beyond that domain.
• Tetris holds the distinction of being licensed and distributed across more than 200 countries.
• By 2010, global sales of Tetris had exceeded 170 million copies, encompassing over 100 million paid downloads on mobile devices, solidifying its position as one of the most successful video games ever.
• A pivotal moment in video game history, Tetris became the first entertainment software exported from the USSR to the U.S.
• Impressively, Tetris has been translated into 50 different languages.
• The worldwide reach of Tetris is exemplified by the purchase of approximately a million copies across the globe.

(Source: MarketSplash)

Statistics for Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG)

• PUBG debuted in December 2017, following nearly a year of being available in Steam’s Early Access program.
• During this period, the development team refined the PUBG gameplay, leading to its introduction on Xbox and PlayStation platforms in the early part of 2018.
• PUBG Mobile stood as the top revenue-generating game of 2021, amassing an impressive $2 billion in revenue.
• Approximately 30 million individuals engage with PUBG Mobile, while Game for Peace attracts around 50 million players.
• Throughout 2021, PUBG Mobile witnessed 127 million downloads, less than half of its download count from 2019.
• The annual revenue of PUBG Mobile has showcased a notable trajectory from 2018 to 2021. Beginning at $172 million in 2018, the revenue experienced a substantial leap to $1.51 billion in 2019.
• The growth continued with a significant surge to $2.49 billion in 2020.
• In 2021, the revenue totaled $2.012 billion, revealing a dynamic financial journey that illustrates the game’s increasing popularity and economic success.
• The daily active user base of PUBG Mobile has displayed a discernible trend from 2018 to 2021.
• Starting at 10 million in 2018, the number of daily active users significantly expanded, soaring to 50 million in 2019.
• The growth continued, reaching 65 million in 2020. However, in 2021, the figure settled at 30 million, showcasing the evolving engagement patterns of players over the years.
• The annual downloads of PUBG Mobile from 2018 to 2021 portray a distinctive pattern. Beginning at 261 million in 2018, the download count remained relatively stable, with a marginal increase to 265 million in 2019.
• However, there was a notable decrease to 218 million downloads in 2020. The trend continued in 2021 with a further decline, reaching 127 million downloads. These numbers reflect the evolving interest and uptake of the game among users over these successive years.
• The cumulative sales of PUBG from 2017 to 2021 reveal a progressive trajectory. Beginning at 4 million sales in 2017, the numbers experienced a substantial surge to 50 million in 2018, signifying a remarkable leap in popularity.
• This upward trend persisted, with sales climbing to 60 million in 2019 and further escalating to 70 million in 2020.
• The momentum continued in 2021, reaching a cumulative sales figure of 75 million. These figures underscore the enduring appeal and expanding game player base over these years.

(Source: Business of Apps, AppMagic, Sensor Tower, Daniel Ahmad, Statista, Tencent)

Mario Franchise Video Games Statistics

• Mario stands out as one of the most universally recognized characters, being the top-selling video game franchise with an impressive 760 million copies sold, contributing to a sales revenue of $30.25 billion, second only to the Pokemon franchise.
• As of March 2023, the sales performance of various Mario game titles across different platforms reflects the franchise’s enduring popularity. At the forefront is “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” for the Switch, boasting an impressive 53.79 million units sold.
• The iconic “Super Mario Bros” for the NES follows suit with 40.24 million units sold, while “Mario Kart Wii” for the Wii platform accumulated a substantial 37.38 million units in sales.
• “New Super Mario Bros” for the DS contributed significantly, with 30.8 million units sold, and “New Mario Kart Wii” for the Wii platform secured 30.32 million units sold.
• “Super Mario Odyssey” on the Switch garnered 25.76 million unit sales, while “Mario Kart DS” for the DS platform achieved 23.6 million units sold.
• “Super Mario World” on the SNES platform garnered 20.61 million unit sales, and “Super Mario Party” for the Switch platform secured 19.14 million units sold.
• “Mario Kart 7” for the DS platform achieved 18.98 million unit sales, and “Super Mario Land” for the Game Boy platform rounded off the list with 18.14 million units sold. These sales figures underscore the enduring appeal and widespread popularity of Mario games across various gaming platforms.

(Source: Statista, TitleMax, Statista)

Pokémon Franchise Video Games Statistics

• The Pokémon franchise is the most valuable media brand globally, boasting an estimated cumulative sales value of $100 billion. Originating from games that revolve around the catchphrase “Gotta catch ’em all,” the concept of collecting monsters has evolved into an abundant source of success in media and merchandise over the past quarter-century.
• For various periods, the cumulative unit sales for a certain entity have shown remarkable growth. In May 2005, the lifetime unit sales stood at 100 million, a figure that expanded to 279 million by February 2016.
• Demonstrating sustained progression, sales climbed to 380 million by March 2021. The trajectory continued upwards, reaching 440 million by June 2022.
• A recent update in May 2023 reveals the impressive milestone of 480 million lifetime unit sales, underlining the consistent and substantial growth achieved over these intervals.
• Throughout its 27-year history, the Pokémon Company has accomplished remarkable success, having sold over 440 million units across its game series.
• With each new addition significantly impacting the video game industry, the franchise has consistently captured attention. Among the numerous video games and spin-offs, the original series debut, Red/Green/Blue, stands out as the top-selling console game, shipping over 31 million units worldwide.
• In November 2022, the release of the ninth Pokémon generation marked another milestone. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet achieved instantaneous success, surpassing ten million copies sold globally within three days of release.
• This momentum carried through the year, culminating in over 20 million lifetime sales.
• Before this, Pokémon Legends: Arceus emerged as a triumphant addition to the franchise in 2022.
• The Nintendo Switch-exclusive title not only outperformed recent Pokémon game launches in Japan, with its sales exceeding 6.5 million units during the first week of global release but also maintained its significance until the success of Scarlet and Violet.
• In July 2016, the franchise took a significant step into mobile gaming, marking its global expansion.
• By introducing Pokémon GO, a location-based augmented reality (AR) mobile game, the franchise ignited a worldwide phenomenon that rekindled the fervor reminiscent of the 1990s Pokémania.
• Even years after its initial release, Pokémon GO maintains widespread popularity, securing a prominent position among the foremost free-to-play (FTP) game titles worldwide.
• Notably, the game generated more than $645 million in in-app purchase (IAP) revenues in 2022, firmly establishing its status as one of the most lucrative mobile games globally.

(Source: Statista)

Call of Duty Franchise Video Games

• Having debuted in 2003, Call of Duty is a prominent franchise in the first-person shooter (FPS) video game genre, published by Activision.
• By April 2021, the Call of Duty (CoD) series had achieved a remarkable milestone by amassing over 400 million unit sales, firmly establishing its position among the bestselling and highest-grossing video game franchises globally.
• Recent data from the company indicates that as of the conclusion of 2020, the Call of Duty community included an impressive 100 million monthly active users.
• This figure signifies substantial growth from the overall player count of over 250 million registered by the close of 2020, reflecting a significant expansion from the 70 million players engaged with Call of Duty in 2018.
• Notably, the CoD series commands a significant portion of Activision Blizzard’s net bookings, contributing to a substantial total of 2.49 billion U.S. dollars in the fourth quarter of 2021.
• The cumulative consumer spending attributed to the Call of Duty series reached an impressive 27 billion U.S. dollars by the end of 2020, aligning it with the most prominent media franchises on a global scale.
• Currently, the leading position in sales within the Call of Duty franchise is held by the 2010 release, Call of Duty: Black Ops, boasting a remarkable achievement of nearly 31 million unit sales.
• The initial entry is Call of Duty: Mobile, which debuted towards the close of 2019 as a free-to-play (F2P) offering. The mobile game experienced considerable success during its initial months, gathering a remarkable 100 million downloads across the globe within the first two months following its launch.
• In February 2022 alone, the title recorded 4.49 million downloads, generating an estimated in-app revenue of 862 million U.S. dollars since its release. Call of Duty: Mobile aligns with the trend of incorporating a battle royale mode and is one of the leading mobile battle royale shooters worldwide.
• Traditionally recognized as a premium franchise, the series took a different path with its cross-platform free-to-play (F2P) release, Call of Duty: Warzone, in March 2020.
• The game achieved instant popularity, garnering over 50 million downloads within its initial month of availability and boasting a player base exceeding 100 million.
• Warzone offers three main game modes: take, resurgence, and, once again, the battle royale experience with the capacity for up to 150 players in a single match.

(Source: Statista)

Games Spending Statistics

• During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global video game industry saw a significant surge in sales, experiencing a notable increase of 63%.
• Amazon’s top five video game-related transactions in 2020 encompassed various gift cards and the popular game Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
• A survey conducted during quarantine revealed that 78% of individuals aged 18 to 25 allocated financial resources for gaming.
• Similarly, within the age group of 26 to 30, approximately 81% engaged in gaming-related expenditures.
• This trend continued among those aged 31 to 40, with around 75% investing in gaming activities. However, this percentage decreased to roughly 59% for individuals aged 41 to 55.
• Remarkably, even among individuals aged 56 and above, a significant 32% chose to spend money on gaming during the quarantine.
• In April 2020, the collective sales of video games witnessed an impressive surge of 73% compared to the previous year, escalating sales from $846 million to $1.46 billion.
• Notably, a significant portion of gamers, amounting to 28%, decided to refrain from spending on gaming during the quarantine period.
• Approximately 15% of gamers chose to allocate funds for in-game purchases, while 14% invested in additional game content.
• Additionally, 11% of gamers directed their spending towards hardware and accessories.
• Video game hardware sales experienced a remarkable growth rate of 163%, soaring from $160 million in 2019 to $420 million in 2020.
• Similarly, the sales figures for video game software experienced a notable increase of 55%, rising from $428 million in 2019 to $662 million in 2020.
• Video game accessories and game cards also observed a substantial uptick in sales, with figures rising by 49%, ascending from $258 million in 2019 to $384 million in 2020.

(Source: RENTCafe, 2020)

Conclusion

Best Selling Video Games Statistics – The video game industry has witnessed significant accomplishments and growth across various franchises and titles, such as Grand Theft Auto V, Minecraft, and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG), with enduring appeal and expanding player bases. Iconic games like Tetris and Mario have left a lasting cultural impact.

The COVID-19 pandemic notably spurred a surge in global video game sales, fostering increased user engagement, spending, and hardware/software sales. These trends highlight the industry’s adaptability and resilience while showcasing its ability to captivate and entertain a diverse global audience across different platforms.

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