The full ranking
Arcades ate quarters, MMOs sold subscriptions, and free-to-play turned cosmetics into billions. The video games that have made the most money in history, ranked by estimated lifetime gross revenue.
Dungeon Fighter Online ($22B)
A 2005 Korean beat 'em up from Nexon that became a colossus in China, where free-to-play microtransactions have pushed its lifetime take past $22 billion, the most of any video game in raw dollars.
Fortnite ($20B)
Epic's free-to-play battle royale turned cosmetic skins and battle passes into a cultural and financial juggernaut, grossing roughly $20 billion since its 2017 launch.
Honor of Kings ($18.7B)
Tencent's mobile MOBA is the most lucrative phone game ever made, drawing the bulk of its estimated $18.7 billion from an enormous Chinese player base.
PUBG: Battlegrounds ($17.8B)
The shooter that ignited the battle royale craze has grossed around $17.8 billion across PC, console, and its massive mobile version.
League of Legends ($15.3B)
Riot's free-to-play MOBA built an esports empire and well over $15 billion in revenue from champion skins and cosmetics since 2009.
Pac-Man ($13.6B)
Namco's 1980 maze classic devoured billions in arcade quarters. Its estimated $13.6 billion lifetime gross balloons to roughly $40 billion adjusted for inflation, the most of any game ever.
CrossFire ($13B)
Smilegate's 2007 online shooter is a giant in China, where free-to-play sales have generated about $13 billion despite little recognition in the West.
World of Warcraft ($12.8B)
Blizzard's defining MMORPG has pulled in nearly $12.8 billion through box sales, subscriptions, and expansions over two decades.
Candy Crush Saga ($12B)
King's match-three puzzle proved mobile micro-spending could mint billions, grossing around $12 billion since 2012.
Monster Strike ($11B)
Mixi's Japanese mobile puzzle-RPG was for years the highest-earning app in the world, with roughly $11 billion in lifetime player spending.
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