Back in the early 2000s, video gaming was still considered a fringe interest. However, the next decade saw major leaps in video game production and gaming consoles. Then came Twitch.tv in 2011, which provided a perfect platform for gamers to network with one another from international communities based on their favorite streamers and titles.
Today, gaming is a global pastime. Along with more mainstream coverage of gaming, mobile titles have introduced millions more to the charms of casual games, from Wordle to Subway Surfers. It doesn’t matter if someone grew up gaming—they likely have a game downloaded on their smartphone or on their laptop.
But do you know which games have the greatest player count in 2022? Keep reading for more information on the top-performing games, including special mentions for total revenue and copies sold.
Online Poker Remains a Favorite
Poker isn’t often lumped in with traditional video games, but it’s been one of the most popular virtual titles since gaming emerged. Worldwide, there are millions of online poker players. The World Poker Tour estimates that there might be up to one hundred million online people playing their hands online—but how are those numbers divided up?
One of the largest social poker providers in the US, Global Poker, offers a Global Poker Club for its players, along with its global poker championships and online tournaments. The brand has over 250,000 registered players in the US alone, making it one of the top options for seasoned vets and newcomers alike.
PUBG Most-Played Game in 2022
PUBG pussy888 is a survival game in which 100 players must out-survive their opponents in a no-holds-bar battle royale. Recently, some countries banned PUBG Mobile due to security concerns, but that hasn’t stopped the game from performing well as a PC title. In fact, it’s 2022’s most-played game with a total of 380 million monthly players.
Much of these figures are thanks to PUBG Mobile. While other games like Fortnite copied PUBG’s 100-person single-island battle royale scheme, they didn’t launch for mobile gamers quite as quickly. And considering how popular mobile gaming is, these figures have pushed PUBG into the stratosphere.
Series Superstars: Nintendo Owns Gaming’s Biggest Names
Not all popular games need to be quantified by current monthly player counts. In fact, some of the world’s most-played titles have been around for decades. In these cases, you’ll need to follow the money instead of player counts to imagine just how vast a series’ reach is.
Pokémon is the clear winner in terms of long-term success. This Nintendo project has raked in $90 billion since Pokémon Green and Pokémon Red first came out in 1996. The Japanese company also has the world’s second-highest-grossing video game in its Super Mario series. The games have taken home $32 billion since the Italian plumber first burst onto the scene with a 1981 arcade game.
The third place goes to Call of Duty. The franchise has raked in over $17 billion thanks to its highly developed media and retail sectors.
Minecraft Tops the List of Best-Sellers
So far, we’ve covered top games by player count, along with total revenue. One last lens to view video games is through sales. This doesn’t incorporate peripheral revenue, like merchandising or eSports franchises. When it comes to sales alone, the world’s top performer is Xbox Games Studio’s Minecraft..
The game has sold over 238 million copies across multiple platforms since 2011. The closest competitor is Grand Theft Auto V from Rockstar Games, which has sold only 170 million since its release in 2013. In third place is Tetris, which EA acquired and then released for mobile back in 2006. Since then, Tetris has sold 100 million copies across various platforms.
