Talk:List of best-selling video games

Semi-protected edit request on 13 March 2025 (2)

Im family fun (talk) 19:16, 13 March 2025 (UTC)

I WANT TO EDIT SKYRIM SOLD 60 MILLION NOT 40 MILLION

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. ToThAc (talk) 19:24, 13 March 2025 (UTC)

Ark Sales Figures

Are there any other references to the 76 million copies of Ark: Survival Evolved sold? The reference comes from the developer's parent company, with no other verification. The only other source I can find that gets close is Snail Game's S-1 filing, which includes other games, and also DLC purchases. ____318____ 07:26, 29 March 2025 (UTC)

There seem to be no other sources citing 76 million copies. However, that's not a major issue as the official source seems sufficient to cite its sales just like what Nintendo is doing with its games. Kazama16 (talk) 11:43, 29 March 2025 (UTC)

Couple questions then, the SEC S-1 document for Snail INC. even states that 30,000,000+ are installs from promotions, with the number being that large, does this page count sales as both GamePass installs (Nearly 6 years offered) and those promotions (Epic Game Store and PS Plus)? Should publishers disclose those (In the case of GamePass) numbers similarly to boost numbers on this arbitrary list? Noberino (talk) 12:31, 5 April 2025 (UTC)

Are you referring to this? [1] that was a year ago before 76 million copies confirmation. Who knows how the sales got boosted, only Snail Games does. Kazama16 (talk) 13:43, 5 April 2025 (UTC)

I also find it weird : in this document, they announce 76 million installs and 20 million sales for Ark (in the diagram page 49) as of June, 2022 ; then, one year later, they claim precisely 76 million sales ? It seems far more likely they confused what the 76 million figure was for rather than they sold 50+ million copies in one year after having sold "only" 20+ million in seven. Quand nous chanterons (talk) 14:15, 5 April 2025 (UTC)

I'm confused too. This document likely contains numbering mistakes. According to Studio Wildcard the game sold 35 million copies in December 2020. [2] So there may have been some counting problems, however, developers and publishers know better about the game's financial information so we should follow them. Kazama16 (talk) 14:28, 5 April 2025 (UTC)

In the page you're linking, the 14 December 2020, they claim 20 million sales for the game in the main text but 35 million sales in the "About" section ; the 11 December 2020, they claim 35 million players in the main text but again 35 million sales in the "About" section. I think the problem lies within the "About" section considering it's also where the 76 million figure seems to be misquoted. Quand nous chanterons (talk) 14:47, 5 April 2025 (UTC)

No, that's not the case they are counting 20 million units for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation but not for Android, IOS, and Nintendo Switch versions. They also state 40 million players in the same paragraph. So the 35 million copies are from all platforms. Don't know why they have a weird approach of counting sales. Kazama16 (talk) 15:12, 5 April 2025 (UTC)

Considering both Android and IOS version are F2P, that would mean the Switch version sold nearly 15 million units of those 35 million when this version was so poorly received that it had to be ported a second time on the platform in 2022 ([3])? It's far more likely the correct sales figure are the one that are actually quoted in the press releases in themselves. Quand nous chanterons (talk) 15:32, 5 April 2025 (UTC)

Well, that's a subjective opinion. I assume there's no point of this discussion since it's the official source stating the sales and we technically have no idea what's going on behind the scenes except the publisher themselves. It's better to leave it as is for now. Maybe in the future, some reliable sources doubt its sales data and then we'll get the idea of what's the real deal. Kazama16 (talk) 15:46, 5 April 2025 (UTC)

I think caution should rather dictate removing it while waiting for a better source (or at least add a "better source needed" template). According to the english wikipedia policy on verifiability, an important claim (and being one of the best-selling games of all-time, the fourth one in particular, is an important claim) should be "covered by multiple mainstream sources", and if contested not be "supported purely by primary sources". Quand nous chanterons (talk) 15:31, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

I'm not disagreeing but Nintendo do the same thing with their titles. Also, the sales figures from Snail Games haven't proven to be inaccurate by any reliable sources so we have no clue regarding this matter. I hope IGN or GameSpot comment on this matter whenever they update their top 10 best selling-games list. Kazama16 (talk) 15:43, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

Nintendo sales reports are each time covered by a lot of different media sources, and as I and another person pointed earlier in the dicussion, Snail Games have contradicted themselves on whether this 76 million figure is a sales or installs figure. Quand nous chanterons (talk) 15:56, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

Have you found any sources having opposing views on Snail Games or their financial information like Todd Howard? If not then again, this is all just speculation. Kazama16 (talk) 16:03, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

Per WP:Verifiability, "the burden to demonstrate verifiability lies with the editor who adds or restores material" not on the ones who challenge it. The verifiability of the 76 million figure was not demonstrated in the first place, see lower on the page WP:ABOUTSELF: it's a self-published source reporting an exceptional claim about itself and there is a "reasonable doubt" on whether this claim is authentic (contradiction about the 76 million figure + history of confusing sales and players count as illustrated in those press releases you provided earlier).

We should not add something until "proven to be inaccurate" but wait for it to be confirmed by reliable sources. Quand nous chanterons (talk) 16:32, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

[4]: "The studio’s hit title ARK: Survival Evolved has sold more than 76 million copies across all platforms".
1) That's a clear statement.
2) Primary source is acceptable to use on Wikipedia.
3) Snail Games isn't proven to be unreliable.

Kazama16 (talk) 16:43, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

Also there many instances like where major milestones are covered by primary sources but not secondary ones because they might have been overlooked. Kazama16 (talk) 16:46, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

The thing is, if we take all their statements at face value (in addition of the claim from October 2023 they sold 76 million copies of Ark) there do is a problem.

As pointed earlier, in the legal document produced for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission they claim 76 million installs and 20 million sales (in the diagram page 49) for Ark as of June 2022. Then in their financial report for 2023, they claim they sold 4.4 millions of copies of Ark in 2023 and 5.5 millions in 2022. That gives us a maximum of 30 million copies sold by the end of 2023.

Even if we rather use the 35 million sales figure from December 2020, that Studio Wildcard gave alongside a 20 million sales figure [sic], considering in their financial report for 2022 they claim they sold 6.6 millions copies in 2021, that still only gives us a maximum of 52 million copies sold by the end of 2023.

Besides a confusion of sales/installs/players figures, I see a possible explanation for this. In the diagram made for the SEC, they clearly distinguish the sales of the base game from the sales of its DLCs. However as explained in their financial report for 2022 about the annual sales numbers given for Ark (so the 4.4, 5.5 and 6.6 millions figures): "Purchase of a standalone game, downloadable content (“DLC”), Season Pass and bundle on a specific platform each counts as a unit sold". So the 76 million sales figure may very well be correct but aggregates sales of the base game, its DLCs, its season passes and its bundle inclusions, which would disqualify it from this list. Quand nous chanterons (talk) 05:44, 16 April 2025 (UTC)

In this case, many games on the list have also been bundled at some point like Wii Sports and Super Mario Bros. Or some games have expansions sells included, which is unclear if they really do. Well, expansions just work as same as the enhanced versions as they technically are there to enhance the games. However, the real statement "The studio’s hit title ARK: Survival Evolved has sold more than 76 million copies across all platforms" is officially by publisher it doesn't say it includes bundles/expansions so it's unclear. Kazama16 (talk) 06:02, 16 April 2025 (UTC)

Team Fortress 2

Team Fortress 2 sold 80 million copies according to Hadley Vincent of Dot Esports. [5] Seems doubtful but can anyone find another source citing 80 million copies. The nearest number to this I can find is 37 million from Steam. [6] Kazama16 (talk) 09:54, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

This 80 million figure seems to be also an estimate of owners on Steam obtained using an API, but not from SteamSpy but from VG Insights [7]. Quand nous chanterons (talk) 15:20, 15 April 2025 (UTC)

Black Myth: Wukong Sales Figures

The 30 million sales figure for Black Myth: Wukong was cited by Phantom Blade Zero's developer, not Game Science, and should not be taken as confirmation of its actual sales. Bigsharksoul (talk) 07:02, 22 April 2025 (UTC)

While the 30 million figure came from a third party, Phantom Blade Zero’s developer is in the same industry and likely has access to reliable insights. Quoting such a specific number publicly risks their own credibility if it’s false. Unless Game Science denies it, the figure remains plausible and shouldn't be dismissed outright. Kazama16 (talk) 10:41, 22 April 2025 (UTC)

Chinese companies often inflate figures without facing any reputational consequences. What's more, Game Science has remained conspicuously silent on too many issues. For instance, when Chinese bloggers falsely accused IGN and SBI of extorting $7 million in "protection money" from Game Science, the scandal blew up across China. The public widely believed IGN and SBI had blackmailed the studio—yet Game Science never bothered to debunk the rumor. Instead, they simply sat back in their offices, happily riding the wave of unexpected marketing benefits. Bigsharksoul (talk) 11:12, 22 April 2025 (UTC)

This is all speculation without any factual evidence. Unless you provide any reliable source to back up that information. Kazama16 (talk) 16:02, 22 April 2025 (UTC)

What can Company A's statements prove about Company B? And both of them are unlisted companies. If this is your so-called "reliable source," then who can take this ranking seriously? Bigsharksoul (talk) 19:17, 22 April 2025 (UTC)

If you think Todd Howard is a master of exaggeration and refuse to accept any numbers from him, then you should take a good look at the producer of Phantom Blade Zero. Bigsharksoul (talk) 19:29, 22 April 2025 (UTC)

I don't think "Todd Howard is a master of exaggeration" but this one surely does. [8] Kazama16 (talk) 07:21, 23 April 2025 (UTC)

Do bundled games count?

If games included with a system count, then Snake (included with Nokia phones), Minesweeper and Solitaire (included with Windows) surely blow everything else out of the water. 2804:D4B:790C:C500:E6CF:232F:4004:B6BD (talk) 19:18, 22 April 2025 (UTC)

Source for their sales? Kazama16 (talk) 07:19, 23 April 2025 (UTC)