Video games, whether on console, PC, or mobile, have consumed the world more and more each year. While they’ve been around since the 1960s, video games have continued to advance in not only storytelling, graphics, genre, and playability.
From solo farming games like Stardew Valley where players spend years cultivating their land and uncovering the magic of the forest, or online action-packed games like Helldivers 2 which unites soldiers together for the sole goal of spreading democracy for Super Earth, video games continue to impress.
But even with favorites out there, what is the most popular game in the world right now? With each new release, like the most recent Black Myth: Wukong, that takes the internet by storm, there are still some popular games that reign champion even after so many years. So for my game nerds out there, let’s find out what is the most popular game in the world, and why.
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What’s the Best-Selling Game Ever?
Just because a game sold a lot of copies does not make it popular. Some games are hyped up for the release, and then ultimately fail, like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League which lost more than $200 million from flopping.
This list also refers to what is the most popular game right now, which means what the audience enjoys the most currently. This list will always fluctuate with new releases and updates.
But what’s the best-selling game ever? Currently, that title belongs to one of the biggest games ever: Minecraft. The world of video games revolves around certain titles, and Minecraft is one of them. It’s one of the top games, is lovingly referenced often, and is a game that many of us go back to frequently to start a new world. With 300,000,000 copies sold, it’s the best-selling game ever.
Sitting at only 200,000,000 is Grand Theft Auto V, the next best-seller. And then Wii Sports, oddly enough, comes in third place at a whopping 82,900,000 copies sold since its release in 2006.
What’s the Highest-Grossing Media Franchise?
Similar to the most sold copies, the highest-grossing media franchise does not mean that it’s incredibly popular right now. Just because this franchise has a staggering amount of revenue could be multiple different reasons.
But when thinking about the highest-grossing media franchise, you probably already know the answer to it. Pokemon has been around since 1996, and while they have several TV shows, movies, comics, card games, board games, and more, they also have 122 video games that can be grouped into nine generations. That’s an insane amount.
The monster collecting franchise has reached a staggering $98.8 billion in revenue and is still growing today. To put this into perspective, the Star Wars franchise has only made $46.7 billion in revenue.
But enough about the flops, the best-sellers, and the most valuable games and franchises. Let’s finally answer the question of what is the most popular game in the world right now, and why it has such a high player base currently.
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What Is the Most Popular Game in the World?
5. Minecraft
The 2011 sandbox game (with the public test released in 2009) developed and published by Mojang Studios is one of the most popular games in the world. In the video game, players explore a randomly generated world where they punch blocks to gather supplies. They have to build and craft items to survive, from tools to food to shelter. But when it’s dark, monsters will spawn around you.
Players have complete control of their experience. While some players spend years creating the perfect home and world, enjoying the leisure crafting aspect, others prefer the action, diving into caves and gathering material to explore the Nether, and eventually the End, where they can properly beat the game by slaying the Ender Dragon.
Either way, Minecraft has endless playtime with unique experiences each time you create a new world. And with roughly 140 million active players, it’s one of the most popular games.
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5. World of Warcraft
Of course when you wonder about what is the most popular game in the world, World of Warcraft is on the list. Released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment, and still being updated frequently, World of Warcraft is one of the most popular titles ever.
The MMO role-playing game is set in the Warcraft fantasy universe where players create an avatar and explore the open-world game, completing quests, fighting monsters, and interacting with NPCs. The game encourages players to work with other players to progress, but the game primarily focuses on character progression whether independently or in a group.
While an intimidating game, if you want a true RPG game that is unlike anything you’ve ever seen, then you have to pick this one up. With a little under 152 million players currently, it’s still an active and beautiful game to experience.
3. League of Legends
When you think of the nerdiest game you can find, League of Legends might be one of the top ones you think about.
The 2009 multiplayer online battle arena by Riot Games is one of the most popular games with a whopping 152 million players currently. In the game, two teams of five players battle in a player-versus-player combat, each team occupying and defending their half of the map.
Each player controls a character with unique abilities and styles of play to accomplish their goal. It’s a beautiful game that is heavily addicting, with so many unique playstyles and strategies to win.
2. Roblox
It might be weird to see Minecraft behind Roblox, but with 220 million active players, the game creation system has surpassed it.
Roblox might seem like an odd game with block people running around, but the game actually allows players to make games within Roblox. So essentially, Roblox is made to program new games within it. There are currently 40 million games in Roblox currently, and they continue to grow.
It’s similar to Minecraft because it gives players unique experiences each time they open the game. Not only that, but they can constantly play with their friends as well. Some of the most popular Roblox games that you might have heard of are the iconic Dress to Impress, Doors, and Jailbreak.
But what is the most popular game in the world? If you didn’t already see it coming, the answer is…
1. Fornite
To finally answer the question of what is the most popular game in the world, the answer is a bit shocking. For many, Fortnite is one of the best games out there. But for others, it’s just a children’s game that does a bit too much. Even though Fortnite receives intense opinions on both ends of the spectrum, it’s undeniable it’s one of the biggest games right now. Fortnite is one of the many battle royale games that have grown in popularity over the years. The online video game by Epic Games was released in 2017 and has multiple different game modes.
The main one is the battle royale which sees 100 players fighting each other until the last person is standing. A few other modes include Save the World, which is a cooperative hybrid tower-defense shooter and survival game, Creative, which allows players complete control of the world and arenas, Lego Fortnite, which is an open-world survival game, and more.
And with 222 million players right now, it’s the most popular game right now. It’s a great starting game if you want to explore several genres, from racing games, to survival, battle royale, and more. And don’t worry, you don’t have to be a pro-Fortnite player to get into it. Several beginner and casual players enjoy the game.
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