The absence of statistics and studies on video game sales makes our task difficult. We're basing our rankings on the numbers published by VGChartz and Wikipedia. The problem is that those resources only count the number of physical copies sold, leaving out online sales. Furthermore, VGChartz doesn’t break down sales for Windows, Mac, and Linux. And finally, it’s sometimes impossible to distinguish between PC and console sales because of the vague statistics discussed by game publishers.
So, in order to create the most accurate ranking possible, we tempered the results from those publications by referring to other rankings and taking each game’s cultural impact into consideration. That’s why, instead of calling this a list of best-selling PC games, we're working with the most popular PC titles, sorted in alphabetical order to limit the subjectivity of our approach.
We also made the decision to limit ourselves to one title per series in order to present more games and avoid the inevitable redundancy. For instance, The Sims is not included because The Sims 2 sold many more copies. There are also series that left their mark on video game culture, such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto. But each title from those families sold considerably less than the games in our list, which explains their absence.
Age of Empires has sold more than three million units, and is often described as a fusion between Civilization II and Warcraft II. Released in 1997, this strategy game requires players to build a civilization and live through several ages (e.g. stone, tools, bronze, iron) while attaining various objectives.
1503 A.D.: The New World is a game that mixes real-time strategy and simulated city building. Developed in Austria and released on the market in 2003, it has also sold more than three million units.
Baldur’s Gate is a role-playing game (RPG) with sales exceeding two million units. Released in 1998, it is the first title to be set in the famous Forgotten Realms, and is heavily inspired by Advanced Dungeons & Dragons.
This famous FPS from Digital Illusions CE (DICE) was released in 2005. The game uses certain role-playing and strategy mechanisms to create captivating multiplayer gameplay. The story takes places in a fictional 21st century, and the game sold a million copies in the first month of its release. Today, Battlefield 2 has sold an estimated 10 million-plus copies around the world, outperforming Battlefield 3 (though estimates are difficult since EA lumps sales of computer and console versions together).
Released in 1996, Command & Conquer: Red Alert sold more than three million units, even if the uptake was slower than the title's follow-up, Red Alert 2. Fan enthusiasm bolstered this RTS game though, which has now become freeware (download it here).
Cossacks: European Wars is an RTS released in 2001 for Windows 95 and 98, selling more than four million copies. The game also won many awards and kudos from the press for its graphical detail and the impressive opening scene.
While it’s true that Counter-Strike is a mod of Half-Life, we decided to mention it here because some estimates suggest more than four million copies have been sold. It also had a significant impact on the FPS genre. Besides popularizing the gameplay with a new generation of enthusiasts, it's partially responsible for the spread of video game tournaments.
According to a document from Crytek, Crysis sold more than three million copies and was one of the most popular titles in the series. This FPS, released in 2007, is set in a future where an extraterrestrial structure has been discovered. With the help of a motorized exoskeleton nanosuit, the protagonist fights both North Korea and a race of aliens.
Diablo III is the newest game in our list of popular titles; it only surfaced in 2012. Blizzard has already sold more than 12 million copies though, which also makes this one of the most popular games out there. Incidentally, it holds the record for fastest-selling game in the world, with 3.5 million copies sold in just 24 hours.
The famous FPS Doom 3 sold more than 3.5 million copies, and is the most popular game from id Software to date. This reboot of the series abandons the storyline from the other titles, though it offers similar gameplay in spite of its incursion into the horror genre, and absence of duct tape.
EverQuest is the first 3D massively-multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), where the game world is constantly online. Sony has sold more than four million copies since its release in 1999. Today, there are more than 19 expansion packs available.
According to Crytek, Far Cry sold more than 2.5 million units. This FPS launched in 2004 and was generally well-received by the press. In the storyline, an American soldier is lost on an island while looking for a journalist.
Guild Wars is an RPG released in 2005 that sold more than 6.5 million copies. The game features a collaborative mode and PvP combat. The player must choose between six professions and develop multiple talents.
By 2008, Valve announced that had sold 6.5 million copies of Half-Life 2. This was a case were the sequel was more successful than the original, which itself sold 10 million units. The successor is now up to 12 million sales, not counting online sales.
Half-Life 2 was released in 2004 after a 40 million-dollar investment and five years of development. It was created at the same time as Valve’s Steam engine, and was the first solo game to require online activation.
Flight Simulator sold more than five million copies and popularized the series, which was shuttered in 2009. This version became available in 1996 under the title Microsoft Flight Simulator for Windows 95, and it was especially a hit in North America.
According to the statistics published on the Minecraft website, it has sold more than 14 million copies, putting it right behind Diablo III. In this game, you have to build and gather as many resources as possible in order to survive. Creative mode allows players to use their imaginations and build impressive structures.
Myst is one of the few adventure games in this list. It was published in 1993 and sold more than six million copies. The player takes on the persona of “the Stranger” and uses a magical book to travel several to different worlds. It's an artistically captivating title, and unlike other adventure games of the time, it adopted a first-person point of view.
Released in 1989, Populous sold more than four million units according to Lionhead's old website. This real-time strategy game had 500 levels, each one representing a piece of land the player had to conquer. The player is a deity of sorts, and uses supernatural powers to encourage the multiplication of his or her people.
Valve has announced that more than four million copies of Portal 2 have been sold. This puzzle-oriented FPS is a sequel, of course. It was published in 2011 and is based on the same principle as its predecessor. The protagonist uses an Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device to create teleportation doors, or portals through which he can attempt to escape a malevolent artificial intelligence.
RollerCoaster Tycoon is one of the most popular amusement park simulators. Released in 1999, the game sold more than four million copies in North America alone. Like many other strategy games, the version for Xbox enjoyed considerably less success.
SimCity 3000 is skyscraper and city-building simulator released in 1999. It sold more than five million units if the extended version of the game (SimCity 3000 Unlimited) is included (and if you believe EA’s statistics). This marvel of virtual city planning introduced many changes to its predecessor, which garnered admiration from the press.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is an action RPG released in 2011, and it sold more than five million copies. The game centers on the destruction of Alduin the World-Eater, a dragon bent on wrecking the planet. Its story takes place 200 years after the preceding title in the series, Oblivion.
With 11 million copies sold, StarCraft is the first and most popular in its series. Launched in 1998, this multiplayer real-time strategy (RTS) game takes place in a fictional 25th century where three species fight to dominate the galaxy. The game is extremely popular in South Korea, where half of its sales are registered.
According to some estimates, nearly three million copies of Star Wars: The Old Republic have been sold. This MMORPG cost between 150 and 200 million dollars to develop, which makes it the most expensive video game in history. It won over a million players in three days too, which also made it the fastest-growing MMORPG.
The Sims 2 is probably the best-selling PC game of all time, with an estimated total of 20 million copies sold. Released in 2004, the life simulator followed the same principle as its predecessor, The Sims. There was some controversy about certain cheat codes that allowed the player to see the naked, but that issue was rapidly fixed.
Released in 1994, Theme Park sold 3.5 million copies according to the publisher. Its popularity stems from its eccentric sense of humor and gameplay similar to that of RollerCoaster Tycoon. In the beginning of the game, the player has to build an amusement park in the United Kingdom, with only one hundred pounds.
With a total of eight million copies sold, and likely three million of those on the PC, this is the most popular Tomb Raider game of the franchise. It upgraded the gameplay and graphics, and the result was a cult title. The story revolves around the Dagger of Xian, which gives its owner supernatural powers.
If its expansion packs are included, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War has sold more than four million copies according to its developer, THQ. Released in 2004, this RTS requires the player to capture or protect areas of a map that give access to resources for use in creating buildings and units.
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? is without a doubt the biggest surprise of our list. It is the oldest title, as it was released way back in 1985, and has sold more than four million copies. This educational/strategy game requires the player to capture enemies who travel all around the Earth. To achieve this, the player has to find clues and play detective.
With more than 10 million subscribers and over 14 million copies sold, World of Warcraft (WoW) is probably the MMORPG that had the most impact on 21st-century video game culture. Released in 2004, the game is loosely-based on Blizzard's earlier RTS franchise, WarCraft. The game takes place in the world of Azeroth where the player must choose to join either the Alliance or the Horde. The iconic game has given rise to international tournaments and even been lampooned on South Park.
And there you have it folks, our picks for the 30 most popular PC games of all time.