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.
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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