As one of the most popular forms of entertainment, people adore gaming. An industry that is expected to reach revenues of over $300 billion by 2029, it’s big business with both men and women leading the charge. Over the years, there have also been some notable success stories, all of which have helped to shape the industry today.
Some of the biggest video games ever released to consumers have gone on to record massive numbers. Additionally, they’ve inspired a number of releases we see today. Nowadays, battle royale titles like Call of Duty: Warzone are thriving, online slots like Cash Eruption Hoggin Cash are booming, and huge MOBAs like Dota 2 are massive on PC. They’re accompanied by a whole host of other video games that have made their mark on the genre.
So, without further ado, below we highlight six of the biggest video games ever made in an area of entertainment where staggering revenues are recorded.
Tetris
An undeniable classic, Tetris is a charming puzzle game that almost everyone on the planet is aware of. Be it on mobile or through the various Tetris browser games that can be sampled following a Google search, the game was created in 1985 by Russian developer Alexey Pajitnov. Since then, according to reports, this iconic puzzle product has sold over 500 million copies, although there are numerous versions of it, making it difficult to determine the exact number. Still, Tetris’s longevity is evident.
Grand Theft Auto V
The Grand Theft Auto series has always managed to top the rankings, but no other instalment has made as much impact as Grand Theft Auto V has. The game first came out in 2013, eventually going on to sell 185 million copies by August 2023. A release many dedicated gamers are still enjoying today as they take on missions and immerse themselves in this iconic action-adventure offering, Grand Theft Auto V is easily one of the best games ever.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Having sold around 64 million copies in March 2024 alone, Red Dead Redemption 2’s rise to the top of the charts is mightily impressive. This cowboy-themed masterpiece eventually went on to sell over 89 million units, making it one of the biggest games ever.
Wii Sports
One for all of the family to get stuck into, Wii Sports is one of the best-selling single-platform games to have ever come to the fore. Playable on a Wii console, this 2006 release featured a large selection of fun mini games as players aimed to reign supreme in popular pastimes like golf, boxing, and baseball. The product eventually went on to sell approximately 83 million copies, with gaming audiences struggling to put it down.
Minecraft
A title that has been entertaining gamers of all ages since 2009, Minecraft is still going strong in the modern world thanks to a series of updates and facelifts that have kept it relevant. An iconic sandbox game where players can build anything in a virtual world filled with endless possibilities. At the time of writing, Minecraft has sold over 300 million copies. A release that isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, Minecraft is everywhere.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
With over 75 million copies sold, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is the biggest battle royale game we’ve ever seen. Fortnite is also up there, although it failed to match PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ 75 million copies sold in December 2021 alone. The game eventually turned into a free-to-play product, but it’s still an undoubted success story that also managed to acquire over 1 billion mobile downloads at the beginning of 2021.
