The best-selling video games of all time are not the ones dominating today’s headlines. The top of the list is held by titles that have sold continuously for decades, across every platform imaginable, reaching audiences far beyond traditional gamers.
Only two games have ever crossed 400 million copies, and both did it by escaping the console cycle entirely. Below we rank the ten best-selling video games ever by copies sold, with release years and what made each one a phenomenon.
Best-Selling Video Games of All Time at a Glance
| Rank | Game | Copies Sold | Released | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tetris | 520 million | 1988 | Multi-platform |
| 2 | Minecraft | 400 million | 2011 | Multi-platform |
| 3 | Grand Theft Auto V | 230 million | 2013 | Multi-platform |
| 4 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | 85 million | 2018 | Multi-platform |
| 5 | Wii Sports | 82.9 million | 2006 | Nintendo Wii |
| 6 | Mario Kart 8 / Deluxe | 79.5 million | 2014 | Wii U / Switch |
| 7 | PUBG: Battlegrounds | 75 million | 2017 | Multi-platform |
| 8 | Terraria | 70 million | 2011 | Multi-platform |
| 9 | The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim | 65 million | 2011 | Multi-platform |
| 10 | The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 65 million | 2015 | Multi-platform |
The 10 Best-Selling Video Games of All Time, Ranked
1. Tetris: The Puzzle That Never Stopped Selling
Copies Sold: 520 million | Released: 1988 | Platform: Multi-platform
Tetris has sold roughly 520 million copies since its commercial debut, a figure no other game approaches. Created by Soviet engineer Alexey Pajitnov, its genius is a design so simple it needs no tutorial and no language, which let it travel everywhere.
Its sales are cumulative across nearly four decades and dozens of versions, from the original Game Boy bundle to paid mobile releases. That aggregation is exactly why its ranking is debated, since counting every port differently produces very different totals.
2. Minecraft: The Sandbox That Became a Platform
Copies Sold: 400 million | Released: 2011 | Platform: Multi-platform
Minecraft has sold about 400 million copies, making it the best-selling single game in the modern era and, by many methodologies, the true number one. Its blocky world of mining and building proved that creativity beats graphics for long-term appeal.
It runs on virtually everything, from phones to consoles to low-end PCs, which removed nearly every barrier to buying it. More than a decade after release it still sells millions of copies a year, sustained by an enormous community of players and educators.
3. Grand Theft Auto V: The Most Profitable Entertainment Product
Copies Sold: 230 million | Released: 2013 | Platform: Multi-platform
Grand Theft Auto V has moved roughly 230 million copies across three console generations, a commercial run no other title has managed. It is frequently cited as one of the most profitable entertainment products ever made, in any medium.
The reason it kept selling is GTA Online, whose continuous updates turned a single-player crime story into a decade-long live service. Rockstar re-released it on each new console generation, converting a 2013 game into a perpetual bestseller.
4. Red Dead Redemption 2: The Prestige Blockbuster
Copies Sold: 85 million | Released: 2018 | Platform: Multi-platform
Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold about 85 million copies, remarkable for a slow-paced, story-driven western with no significant multiplayer engine behind its sales. It succeeded on craft and word of mouth.
Its density of detail set a new industry standard for open-world design and cost a reported fortune to produce. It stands as proof that a single-player narrative game can still sell at blockbuster scale.
5. Wii Sports: The Game That Sold a Console
Copies Sold: 82.9 million | Released: 2006 | Platform: Nintendo Wii
Wii Sports sold 82.9 million copies almost entirely because it was bundled with the Nintendo Wii in most regions. That bundling makes it the most successful pack-in title in history.
Its real achievement was cultural, putting controllers in the hands of grandparents and people who had never played a video game. Motion controls turned living rooms into tennis courts and expanded gaming’s audience permanently.
6. Mario Kart 8 / Deluxe: Nintendo’s Evergreen
Copies Sold: 79.5 million | Released: 2014 | Platform: Wii U / Switch
Mario Kart 8 and its Deluxe re-release have combined for about 79.5 million copies, the best-selling racing game ever. The Switch version alone became one of the most successful games on any single console.
Its formula works because skill gaps barely matter, letting a child beat an adult and keeping everyone at the table. It is the definitive local multiplayer game and a near-automatic purchase for Switch owners.
7. PUBG: Battlegrounds: The Battle Royale Pioneer
Copies Sold: 75 million | Released: 2017 | Platform: Multi-platform
PUBG: Battlegrounds sold roughly 75 million copies and invented the mainstream battle royale genre that now shapes much of online gaming. Its last-player-standing formula spawned countless imitators.
Its paid model distinguishes it from free rivals like Fortnite, which is why its copy count is comparable at all. In much of Asia it remains a dominant force, particularly on mobile.
8. Terraria: The Indie Giant
Copies Sold: 70 million | Released: 2011 | Platform: Multi-platform
Terraria has sold about 70 million copies, an extraordinary result for a small independent team working in two dimensions. It is arguably the most successful indie game ever released.
Its blend of exploration, crafting, and combat gave it enormous depth for a low price, and years of free content updates kept players returning. It shows that a modest budget is no ceiling on sales.
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: The Game That Refuses to Die
Copies Sold: 65 million | Released: 2011 | Platform: Multi-platform
Skyrim has sold roughly 65 million copies and become a running joke for how many times it has been re-released, appearing on nearly every platform since 2011. Each version found new buyers.
Its open-ended fantasy world and vast modding community give it effectively unlimited replay value on PC. More than a decade on, players are still discovering it for the first time.
10. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt: The Slow-Burn Success
Copies Sold: 65 million | Released: 2015 | Platform: Multi-platform
The Witcher 3 has sold about 65 million copies, but unusually, much of that came years after launch rather than at release. Critical acclaim, deep discounts, and the Netflix adaptation each triggered fresh waves of sales.
Its writing and side quests reset expectations for role-playing games and made CD Projekt Red a major studio. It is the clearest example of a game that grew into a phenomenon rather than launching as one.
Why Tetris and Minecraft Sit So Far Ahead
The gap between the top two and everything else is enormous, and the explanation is platform independence. Neither game needs powerful hardware, so both sell on phones, old PCs, consoles, and handhelds simultaneously, rather than being locked to one console generation.
Both also avoid the two things that date a game fastest: realistic graphics and a finite story. Simple visuals and open-ended play mean a 1988 puzzle game and a 2011 sandbox still feel current, which is why they never stopped selling.
Why These Rankings Are Genuinely Disputed
Sales figures for older games are messier than they look. Tetris at 520 million aggregates dozens of official versions across nearly 40 years, including paid mobile downloads, while Minecraft at 400 million counts a single continuously updated title.
Depending on which methodology a source uses, either can legitimately be called number one, which is why reputable trackers disagree. Free-to-play giants like Fortnite complicate matters further, since they have far more players than any game here but almost no copy sales to count.
How We Ranked the Best-Selling Video Games
This ranking orders games by total copies sold worldwide across all platforms and re-releases, the standard measure for commercial success. It excludes free-to-play titles, which generate revenue through in-game purchases rather than sales.
Figures come from publisher announcements and reliable sales trackers, and they continue to climb for actively selling titles. Treat the numbers as a current snapshot rather than final totals.
What the List Reveals About the Industry
Longevity beats hype. Every game here has sold for years or decades, and the pattern rewards titles that keep receiving content updates, re-releases, or new platform versions long after launch.
Accessibility matters just as much as ambition, since the biggest sellers run on modest hardware and welcome inexperienced players. If you are choosing hardware to play them on, our guides to the best gaming consoles and best gaming headsets cover the current options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best-selling video game of all time?
Tetris leads with roughly 520 million copies sold since 1988, though that total aggregates dozens of versions. By many methodologies Minecraft, at about 400 million copies as a single title, is considered the true number one.
How many copies has Minecraft sold?
Minecraft has sold approximately 400 million copies, making it the best-selling single game of the modern era, and it continues to sell millions of copies each year more than a decade after release.
Why is Fortnite not on the list?
Fortnite is free-to-play, so it has no meaningful copy sales to count despite having hundreds of millions of players. It earns its revenue through in-game purchases instead.
What is the best-selling single-player game?
Red Dead Redemption 2, at about 85 million copies, is the best-selling primarily single-player narrative game, proving story-driven titles can still sell at blockbuster scale.
Which is the best-selling indie game?
Terraria, with roughly 70 million copies sold, is the most successful independent game ever made, built by a small team and sustained by years of free content updates.