Gaming has proved to be a lot more than a fad. It’s a full-blown, $300 billion industry that’s only getting bigger. According to Accenture’s 2021 report, the global gaming industry is worth more than the combined markets for movies and music, thanks to a surge in mobile gaming and an emphasis on social interaction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to the ubiquity of mobile devices, the expansion of the indie scene, and the rise of esports, there’s never been a better time to be a gamer. The best part about this booming industry is that there are countless ways for you to get involved, whether you’re into independent titles or AAA blockbusters. But gaming isn’t just a pastime anymore — it’s an art form and a way of life. And some gamers are willing to spend a lot of money on old and new titles.
Have you ever wondered which games earned their producers the most money? The top-grossing video games of all time are a testament to the growing popularity of the video game world, as well as the advancements in technology that have allowed some of the greatest games to see the light. Some have been around for decades and have remained popular through multiple generations; others have become prominent in the current generation of consoles. We considered every gaming platform, including arcade, console blockbusters, computer games, mobile and online successes, and coin-based sales, all adjusted for inflation.
Note: games are listed in no particular order.
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#1 Pac-Man
Pac-Man is one of the most iconic video games in history. It was created by Japanese designer Toru Iwatani, who based the design of the titular character on… pizza! No kidding, the inspiration was pizza without a slice, which gave Iwatani a vision of “an animated pizza, racing through a maze and eating things with its absent-slice mouth”. The character was created to have a cute and colorful design that would especially appeal to women and younger players. With more than $19 billion and 200 million dollars earned (adjusted for inflation), it’s the top-grossing video game of all time.
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104points
#2 Space Invaders
The game that started it all! Space Invaders, released in 1978 by Taito, defined the video game industry with its simple graphics and gameplay. It’s the oldest game on this list and is still among the most popular. It grossed more than $19 billion worldwide, becoming the second highest-grossing video game ever made
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90points
#3 Dungeon Fighter Online
Developed by the South Korean company Neople and released in 2005, this beat-’em-up computer game stands third among the highest-grossing video games. Still, it’s surprisingly not nearly as popular as many other titles you’ll find in this list. People haven’t heard much about Dungeon Fighter Online because most of the game’s players and revenue come from China, where the game broke record after record and is still one of the top video games.
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79points
#4 Street Fighter II
Street Fighter II was a massive success when it launched in 1991 on arcade machines. It was later ported to home consoles, including SNES and Game Boy, which contributed to it becoming one of the most popular video games and grossing more than $17 billion. It’s been credited for popularizing the fighting genre during the 1990s and inspiring other producers to create their own fighting series.
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70points
#5 Arena Of Valor
The Chinese fantasy-themed MOBA Honor Of Kings (internationally adapted as Arena Of Valor) is currently one of the highest-grossing games on both Android and iOS. With 108 characters, each one with its own unique abilities, the game is clearly inspired by League Of Legends. Total sales so far amount to around $14.5 billion.
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59points
#6 Crossfire
Crossfire is a first-person shooter title developed by South Korean studio Smilegate and released in 2007. It has become one of the world’s most-played video games by player count, mainly due to its popularity in China and South Korea, where free-to-play games dominate the market. It grossed more than $13 billion.
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49points
#8 Playerunknown's Battlegrounds
PUBG Battlegrounds, or PUBG for short, is a multiplatform battle royale game that has taken the world by storm. Based on mods created by Brendan Greene, it was then expanded as a standalone game under Greene’s creative direction. It’s a massively popular video game with over 75 million copies sold for personal computers and consoles, and it’s also the fifth best-selling video game of all time. It grossed almost $11 billion in less than five years.
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40points
#18 League Of Legends
Commonly referred to as LoL, it’s the game that made the fortune of Riot Games, grossing more than $10 billion. Often cited as the world’s largest esport, its 12 domestic leagues culminate yearly in the annual League of Legends World Championship, which registered more than 100 million unique viewers in 2019. An animated show based on LoL released at the end of 2021, Arcane, has been an incredible success, and a second season is currently in development.
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29points
#19 Monster Strike
Monster Strike is a Japanese mobile game developed by XFLAG under the social networking service Mixi. It was first released in Japan in 2013 and then made available worldwide the following year. The game grossed almost $10 billion worldwide and became one of the highest-grossing mobile games of all time, second only to Honor of Kings / Arena of Valor.
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19points
#20 World Of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is one of the most popular MMORPGs (massively multiplayer online role-playing games) ever created and has had millions of players since its release back in 2004. The game allows you to create a character avatar and explore an open game world in third or first-person view, exploring the various locations, fighting monsters, completing quests, and interacting with NPCs and other players. It grossed more than $9 billion worldwide.
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16points