Love them or hate them, video games are a hugely popular art form. The industry of video games is absolutely booming at the minute, with huge companies making billion dollar deals on a regular basis. Below, we look at the five best-selling video games of all time.
5. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG: Battlegrounds)
PUBG: Battlegrounds, developed by PUBG Studios, is the fifth highest selling game of all time, at 75 million copies purchased. The battle royale style shooter has been a video game staple since its release in 2017. Although it was not the first battle royale to grace the market, it is easily one of the most recognizable alongside other titles such as Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone.
Despite the game’s success, however, the chance of it maintaining this top five position is low, given the fact the game went free-to-play at the beginning of 2022. The popularity of PUBG: Battlegrounds continues to resonate in the gaming world, and even the mobile game has been downloaded more than one billion times.
You can play PUBG: Battlegrounds for free on PC, Stadia, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
4. Wii Sports
Surprisingly, the title claiming the number four position in total sales is Wii Sports. Nintendo has revealed the game, which was bundled with every Wii console across all markets, has sold 82.9 million copies worldwide. This number is likely much higher than expected, due to the fact the product was included with every device.
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Either way, Wii Sports has made a name for itself in gaming history. Its use of tennis, bowling, baseball, golf, and boxing was an iconic way for families to get together and bring exercise to the fun of gaming. The Wii became one of the best selling gaming consoles of all time and it is largely because it had a wider audience and supported active movement gameplay.
Wii Sports is only available on the Wii system, which came out in 2006, and was discontinued in 2013.
3. Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V)
This iconic title, developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games, is unsurprisingly high on the list, with more than 175 million copies sold. If this listing did not include mobile versions of these games, it would easily have the number one spot. GTA V is a AAA title that was five years in the making, and includes a massive map set in Los Santos, a fictional city based on Los Angeles.
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It had expansive explorative setting, with a compelling plot, and dynamic characters, which are all components of a great game. Rockstar became the fastest developer to pass $1 billion across all mediums of entertainment and continues to make money through in-game purchases on GTA Online. GTA V has spanned three generations of consoles and after 10 years of waiting, fans are desperate to know when they will see GTA VI.
GTA V can be played on PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.
2. Minecraft
The sandbox title from 2011, Minecraft, by developer Mojang Studios, has sold more than 238 million copies in its 12 year run. Minecraft has also stretched across a plethora of systems including three generations of gaming consoles. It has had a major cultural impact in various ways such as cosplay, clothing, film, other video games, education, conventions and more.
The block environment and basically infinite space has given players an opportunity to be creative and make whatever their hearts desire. The gameplay mechanics involve crafting tools, building structures and mining raw materials. Whether you’re an avid gamer or you’ve never touched video games, most people have heard of Minecraft.
Minecraft can be played on VR, Mobile, PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, PS Vita, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Wii U, 3DS, and Nintendo Switch.
1. Tetris
Tetris stands tall, at the top of franchise based sales list, with 520 million copies sold. This major title was created by a Soviet-Union software engineer, Alexey Pajitnov, in 1984. Tetris is a puzzle game where players take falling blocks and try line them into full lines to cut down the height of the growing wall. As the speed increases, once blocks reach the top of the board, the player loses and must start from the beginning again.
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Like Minecraft, Tetris is more than a household name, it has become a massive cultural icon with more than just the gaming industry. It has inspired psychological research, been featured in music lyrics, and most recently, was the topic of the 2023 biopic, Tetris, starring Taron Egerton. Tetris is the oldest game on this list, and will likely not be surpassed as the top title any time soon.
Tetris is widely available on most platforms, including all newer consoles, PC, and mobile.
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