When developers started games in the 80s and 90s, they probably weren't thinking long-term, thinking about what these games could be outside of a given platform. For example, Square was thinking about the original final fantasy Being ported to more consoles than their collective fingers? Probably not, but as the video game market changed, some games had longer legs.
10 games that exceeded unrealistically high expectations
The hype was through the roof for these video games, and somehow, they still managed to exceed all expectations.
Some games even had the luxury of decades of world-breaking sales, which helped them become more memorable in the cultural zeitgeist of video games. The following are the best selling games of all time. Instead, they are the best-selling games in the long run, with some cross-contamination between them.
It's not exactly easy to find sales data for all of these games, but based on what is out there, here's how things shook out.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
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Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5) Medium (7) Hard (10)
Minecraft
A clear example
Anyone who has talked to a child in the past decade can vouch for the sight Minecraft on their desktops, tablets, game consoles, and so on. It's as ubiquitous as watching downloaded Netflix on any piece of hardware. The game soft-launched a wide beta in 2009 Minecraft In 2011 it reached 1.0 status.
Although it didn't initially reach the top ten slots of best-selling games, it managed to peak between 2013 and 2015, and it continues to sell year after year, making it arguably the best-selling game of all time. By 2020, the game had reached 200M in units sold, and it has only grown since then. Players, in 2026, are still rapidly engaging with it on multiple platforms and letting their creative juices flow.
Level up with longevity
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Another game that launched in 2011, and thanks to Bethesda not letting it die, it's been re-released in more ways than anyone could count on. It managed to break into the best-selling games of 2011, which is surprising considering it only had two months to do so.
By 2023, projections put it at around 60M units. Of course, considering all versions and platforms, no one will be buying a new Xbox 360 copy in 2023. Even with that caveat, it's still impressive, going to show how important it is The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Open-world is for RPG fans.
Grand Theft Auto 5
The online mode has helped it survive
Grand Theft Auto 5 was released in 2013, and is yet another example of a publisher/developer not letting their baby die. There are many ways to play the game now, and what really keeps the game selling is the online mode, which is still getting updates.
Grand Theft Auto 5 It managed to top the charts with an incredible five-year streak between 2013 and 2017, not to mention it has risen again in 2020. Rumors of a delay are doing the rounds. Grand Theft Auto 6, Grand Theft Auto 5 The next big one could see a similar spike for those impatient to wait Grand Theft Auto Experience.
Salary 2
Robbing banks and wallets
Grand Theft Auto 5 The 2013 game didn't just live up to its online heist-based gameplay, because that was it, too Salary 2 From its inception. The gameplay in this online-focused game is very simple, players team up with others online to get huge payouts from bank robberies and various other scams.
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While the exact numbers leading up to 2025's 55M celebration are hazy, what is known is that the game has sold at least 15M units between 2023 and 2025 alone. What's even more surprising is that the developer also started it Salary 3 in 2023, which may inadvertently outsell its predecessor.
Mario Kart 8
Switching expectations
Mario Kart 8 Launched in 2014 on the Wii U and became one of the best-selling games in its short lifetime. For a console that no one bought, the engagement rate was huge, but an even more surprising achievement was when an enhanced version was released on the Switch in 2017, it said. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.
It managed to reach sales highs across all platforms in 2017, 2019, and 2021, which can be attributed to Nintendo releasing DLC until 2023. This undercuts any success of the Wii U version, and it will be interesting to see. Mario Kart World The Switch 2 can never hope to reach these heights.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Netflix saved the day
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Released in 2015, and despite being reviewed as one of the best games of 2015, it didn't make it into any of the top ten slots. It continues to amaze new players with its visceral action combat.
Over the years, it continued to sell and was played consistently, albeit in small numbers, but something changed in 2019, which was the first year Netflix released its live-action show. Witcher Books. This is when sales began to spike The Witcher 3: Wild HuntThe game is selling around 10 million units a year between 2021 and 2025, and by 2025 for a decade-old game, that's incredible.
Overwatch
A confused history
Overwatch
8/10
- issued
-
May 24, 2016
- ESRB
-
T for Teens: Blood, Tobacco Use, Violence (online interaction not rated)
Overwatch was released in 2016, which managed to make it among the best-selling games of that year. This isn't surprising, considering anything released by Blizzard usually gets a high rate of sales. Overwatch 2016 saw more sales, and by 2021, it will reach 60M, which is quite a climb.
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Then things got a bit more complicated with the launch of its sequel, Overwatch 2in Early Access in 2022, which effectively shut down the original servers despite all these sales. Overwatch 2 Then officially launched in 2023 and rebranded itself to just Overwatch In 2026. Separate release history, original of Overwatch Its short-lived peak of success will go down in the video game history books.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Everyone is here
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Launched exclusively for the Switch in 2018, and for two years in a row, it topped the sales charts. Between 2020 and 2025, it continued to sell around 15M more units, reaching around the 36M mark in eight years. That might not happen Minecraft numbers, but for a fighting game and for the franchise as a whole, it was a huge win for Nintendo.
It certainly helped that selling point Super Smash Bros. Ultimate With solid controls and good balance between all the characters, every single character was getting back and adding more to it over time.
Red Dead Redemption 2
A statement like no other in the West
Rockstar manager to bring out another heavy hitter, Red Dead Redemption 2which had little time to fuss. It also has an online component, although this has been less successful, with the game's selling point being the rich story and world design.
There's a rare amount of documents from Rockstar to give fans a look at how things have progressed since their debut in 2018. Year-over-year sales averaged between 7M and 11M by 2025, where it now stands at 82M units sold. At a time when the western as a genre is largely dead in all media, it's something to study.
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