With the development and the rise of the gaming industry, video game statistics started to capture the world’s attention. A medium once considered secondary to traditional ones such as film and audio has since overshadowed both of these industries in terms of revenue.
With different games having different revenues, differing player numbers, and different popularity levels, we’ve gathered the most relevant and newest video game data that helps conceptualize the industry as a whole.
Let’s dig in.
Top 10 Video Game Statistics and Facts
- The first video game was created in 1958 and was called Tennis for Two.
- Minecraft is the most sold game in the world, with over 200 million games sold.
- Fortnite’s total playing time is over 10.4 million years.
- Call of Duty statistics show that Modern Warfare earned $1.91 billion in 2020.
- Statistics show that 68% of boys ages 6–8 played Minecraft in 2019.
- The most expensive game ever sold was Super Mario 3, which went for $156,000.
- 42.6% of PUBG US mobile players in 2019 were female.
- 205 million viewers watched the League of Legends championship in 2018
- PUBG statistics show that 2.2 million people played PUBG in India in May 2020.
- Pokémon is the highest-grossing game franchise, with $90 billion in earnings.
Video Game Sales Statistics
Nowadays, the video game industry is one of the highest-earning industries. Games are bought and sold for PC, consoles, and mobile. To learn more about the statistics of the games, including the most earnings and highest sales, keep reading.
1. According to the Minecraft stats, Minecraft is the most sold game globally, with over 200 million games sold.
(Statista, Gaming Gorilla, 24/7 Wall St.)
This number shouldn’t come as a surprise considering the game’s rising popularity and the fact that the number of people who bought the game has doubled since 2016.
According to Minecraft facts, the game’s revenue is also one of the biggest, with around $3 million earned from game sales.
(Boss Hunting, ComicBook, TheGamer)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare was released in 2019 and is a reboot of the original Modern Warfare.
COD stats reveal that Modern Warfare earned almost ⅔ of Call of Duty games 2020 revenue, with nearly $2 billion earned and more than 30 million copies sold.
3. As per video game purchase statistics, the Mario franchise has sold 760 million copies.
(TheGamer, TitleMax)
Mario is one of the most recognizable characters globally, so having all the variations of the Mario games has proven to be a safe bet for Nintendo. From Super Mario Bros to Mario Kart, all Mario games sell well.
Video game revenue statistics show that the revenue of Mario games is also one of the biggest — $30.25 billion, which puts it behind only Pokémon.
4. Video game purchases statistics reveal that the most expensive game sold is a copy of Super Mario 3, which went for $156,000.
(Input)
An unopened copy of Super Mario 3 was sold at an auction in November 2020 for $156,000. It broke the World Record for the most expensive individual game ever sold.
A fascinating video game fact is that the previous record was also held by a Super Mario Bros game.
This just goes to show that the Mario franchise is one of the most popular video game franchises ever.
5. Pokémon is the highest-grossing franchise with $90 billion in total revenue.
(TitleMax)
Although Mario is the most sold video game franchise, it is not the one that earned the most. One of the interesting Pokémon video game facts is that most of its $90 billion revenue doesn’t come from the games.
Pokémon merchandise makes almost ⅔ of the total revenue. This is possible because of the Pokémon game and anime series popularity.
Video Game Players Statistics
Video games have around 3 billion players around the world, according to gaming statistics. Since most players play more than one game at a time, it’s clear that the market is big enough for everyone.
Below, you can find game-oriented player stats.
6. According to video game statistics, the age of 62.7% of Fortnite players is between 18 and 24.
(Statista)
Although many people consider Fortnite to be a children’s game, stats show that’s not the case.
One of the more interesting facts about Fortnite is that gamers between the ages of 18 and 24 play the most. The next largest age group is between 25 and 34 years, with 22.5%.
7. As video game playing statistics show, CS:GO has the most concurrent players on Steam.
(Statista, Steam Charts)
One of CS GO facts that may surprise most people is that CS:GO is still very popular and has the most concurrent players on Steam.
The number of players playing CS:GO simultaneously varies, but it has an impressive 7-day average of 607,928 concurrent players at the time of writing.
8. According to 2019 Minecraft player statistics, 68% of boys aged 6–8 played Minecraft.
(The Conversation)
Minecraft is the most popular game in the world and is very popular among children.
However, when we look at Minecraft statistics, it is safe to say that among children, it is a lot more popular with boys.
While 68% of boys ages six to eight play Minecraft, this is true for only 29% of girls of the same age. However, the study involved only 753 parents of children, so the global results would most likely vary slightly.
9. 2021 Apex Legends stats show that Apex Legends has around 22.6 million active players.
(Newzoo, Statista)
Since its release in 2019, Apex Legends has had its share of the battle royale market. Apex Legends player stats numbers were smaller than those of some battle royal games, such as Fortnite, but they are on the rise.
As of 2021, the Apex Legends game has more than 100 million total players.
Further video game growth statistics reveal that the number of active players rose from 19.8 million to 22.6 million from April to May 2021.
This can be attributed to the new Arena mode, which attracts players of other games, such as CS GO and Valorant.
10. According to PUBG player stats, 42.6% of PUBG US mobile players in 2019 were female.
(Statista)
PUBG is a game with one of the largest player bases. Yet, PUBG had many complaints about violence and was even banned in India.
Surprisingly, PUBG video game player gender statistics show that 42.6% of its US mobile players in 2019 were female. This is a lot more than can be said for some non-violent games.
Video Game Statistics By Country
The video game industry is a part of the global village. Games reach every part of the world. However, different markets prefer different games, so the statistics can vary drastically from country to country.
11. In India, 2.2 million people played PUBG during the lockdown, according to video game trivia facts.
(Moneycontrol, The Quint)
In May 2020, more than 2 million people played PUBG in India. It was the most popular game for both PC and mobile.
One of the most interesting PUBG facts is also connected to India. PUBG was banned in India in September 2020 due to its violent nature.
12. Video game statistics for 2021 confirm that almost 39% of Apex Legends players come from the US.
(PlayerCounter)
The Apex Legends game is on the rise from May 2021 because of the arena mode. It has a large player base, and Apex Legends statistics show that most of its players come from the US. US players are 38.9% of the player base.
The United Kingdom comes second, with 7.2%, followed by Russia, with 5.8%.
13. In 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons sold 6.4 million copies in Japan, Japanese video game statistics reveal.
(Game Rant)
Japan is a country unlike most of the world. In most countries, video game genre statistics speak in favor of action, battle royale, and shooter games.
On the other hand, the Japanese market is more interested in simulation, role-playing, or traditional action games.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the most popular game of 2020, with 6,378,103 copies sold, is the proof of that statement.
Some other popular games are Pokémon Sword/Shield, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and Ring Fit Adventure.
14. According to video game sales charts statistics, FIFA 21 sold 2.2 million copies in the UK and 1.3 million in France.
(Statista, GamesIndustry)
One of the undeniable video game facts is that FIFA is one of Europe’s most loved franchises. European countries were the ones that brought the most profit for FIFA 21 in 2020.
So, FIFA 21 was the most sold game in both countries, overtaking many other popular games.
15. Russia is the country with the most CS:GO players, 11.65% of the total.
(Talk Esport)
CS:GO is the most popular Steam game in the whole world. However, CS:GO video game stats reveal that its most extensive player base is in Russia.
The United States follows, with 10.66% of CS:GO’s total player numbers. The third place is Poland, with 5.32% of the players.
Other Interesting Video Game Facts and Stats
Because the world of video games is so big and diverse, there are many different facts about each game. So, if you want to learn more fun video game facts, read on.
16. The first video game was created in 1958 and was called Tennis for Two.
(BNL, APS)
One of the most interesting video game history facts is that an electronic game was first created in the distant 1958. Its name was Tennis for Two, and it was created in Brookhaven National Laboratory.
It was a simple game, similar to the later popular arcade game Pong. It might be a stretch to call it a video game, but it was the first electronic game.
If nothing else, it can be considered a predecessor to all video games.
17. One of the cool video game facts is that Resident Evil 4 holds a Guinness record for the PlayStation 2’s most acclaimed game.
(Guinness World Records)
One of the less-known video game facts is that there is a game that holds a Guinness world record. Resident Evil 4 became a part of the Guinness book of records in 2019 when it got a ranking of 95.85% on Gamerankings.com.
This helped the game become the most critically acclaimed game made for PlayStation 2 — the most sold PlayStation.
18. League of Legends pro stats show that a record 205 million viewers watched the championship in 2018.
(LeagueFeed, Dot Esport)
League of Legends is one of the gaming industry’s favorite sports. In 2018, 205 million viewers watched esport players play League of Legends. Consequently, professional LoL esports teams are some of the biggest on the scene.
Another proof that LoL is still popular is the fact that 11 years since its release, 3.8 million concurrent viewers watched the LoL championship in 2020.
19. Video game statistics for 2020 reveal that Fortnite’s total playing time is over 10.4 million years!
(Game, Statista)
With 350 million players, Fortnite is one of the most popular games. One of the most fascinating Fortnite facts is that, from July 2017 to September 2020, Fortnite’s cumulative playing time reached 91.2 billion hours.
This is an equivalent of 3.8 billion days or 10.4 million years.
20. Hearthstone was the largest esport card game, with $3.73 million prize winnings in 2020, Hearthstone stats show.
(The Esports Observer, ESI)
That year, it had the 9th largest prize of all esports games and 1st of all card games.
Although its popularity among card games was for a long time undisputed, Hearthstone statistics reveal that the game popularity is in decline.
Other card games, such as MTG Arena, entered esports and are becoming more popular. The prize is thus expected to fall, and Hearthstone’s future is uncertain.
21. Random video game facts reveal that Detective Pikachu is one of the most successful movies based on a video game.
(Parade, Statista, GamesRadar)
The trend of turning video games into movies is nothing new. It started in 1993 with the Super Mario Bros movie, and the trend is becoming more and more prominent.
One of many Pokémon video game fun facts is that besides being part of the most successful franchise, it also has one of the most successful movies.
Many consider Detective Pikachu to be one of the best game-based movies. It earned $436 million worldwide and has one of the best reviews of all movies based on a video game.
22. Pokémon Diamond And Pearl has more than 5.4 million pirated copies for both, revealed by video game piracy statistics.
Game Rant
Although different games come to our mind when speaking of piracy, Pokémon is the absolute winner when it comes to pirated games.
An estimated 5.4 million pirated copies of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were produced, which cost Nintendo around $1 billion in Japan only.
23. Video game addiction stats show that at least 200 divorces in the UK in 2018 happened because of Fortnite addiction.
Addiction Center
With 10.4 million years spent in Fortnite, it’s safe to say that many people took the game too seriously. Inevitably, it affected their lives, and not positively.
One of many sad video game addiction facts is that, due to the game’s competitive nature, many people can’t find a way to stop.
Conclusion
With almost half of the world playing at least one game, and one-quarter obsessed with gaming, the presented video game statistics are somewhat expected.
Moreover, with some games reaching $200 million in sales, being downloaded a billion times, and with over 10 million years spent on just one game, the video gaming industry is not going anywhere.
You can only yield and choose your game. Just be careful — the key to enjoyment is in moderation.
FAQ
Who invented video games?
Although, as mentioned, the first electronic game was invented in 1958 in a Brookhaven National Laboratory, Ralph Baer is usually attributed with creating video games.
Baer was the first person who, in the 1960s, created a video game system for games that could be connected to the TVs of that age. It was called the “Brown Box,” which cleared the path for all future video game systems.
Who plays video games, according to statistics?
All age groups and genders play video games. However, the most active age group is from 18 to 34 years, with around 38%, while the smallest number of players come from the 65+ group.
Video game statistics show that women and men are not equally interested in video games. Still, the difference is not as significant as some may think. In 2020, 59% of all gamers were men, and 41% were women.
What percentage of the population plays video games?
According to stats, 3.1 billion people played video games by mid-2020 — approximately 40% of the world’s population.
The number may seem enormous, but keep in mind that almost 50% of gamers use their phone for this activity.
Which is the no 1 game in the world?
Minecraft is considered to be the No.1 game in the world.
With more than 200 million copies sold, 131 million monthly active users in 2020, and never-fading popularity, it is safe to say that Minecraft is the best game in the world.
What is the most downloaded game ever?
Pokémon GO, with more than 1 billion downloads, is the most downloaded game.
Although it’s not as popular as in 2016 when it took the world by storm, it still holds its place.
Sources:
- 24/7 Wall St.
- American History
- APS
- BNL
- Boss Hunting
- ComicBook
- Dot Esports
- ESI
- The Esports Observer
- GAME
- Game Rant
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- GamesIndustry
- GamesRadar
- Gaming Gorilla
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- Input
- LeagueFeed
- Moneycontrol
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- Parade
- PCMag
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- Statista
- Statista
- Statista
- Statista
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