List of best-selling video games in the United States by year

This is a listing of the best-selling video games in the United States annually by units sold since 1980, with sales figures from Circana since 1994. The United States is a very competitive market for video game developers. Games from different developers around the world have entered the annual lists of top ten best-selling games in the United States. The most successful developers are mostly from the United States, Japan, Canada, the United Kingdom and Sweden.

Among the forty-three reported annual top-sellers between 1980 and 2024, thirteen were published by Activision Blizzard and another thirteen by Nintendo, four each by Atari and Take-Two Interactive, three by Electronic Arts, and two each by Sega and Acclaim Entertainment. Video game publishers Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts managed to enter the list of ten best-selling games every single year with at least one of their games for the last fifteen years in a row. Of the twelve best-selling games released in the last fourteen years, twelve were from Call of Duty franchise and published by Activision Blizzard. Madden NFL and the Call of Duty series have been on the annual top ten best-sellers list twelve times over the last thirteen years. Call of Duty has been the best-selling video game series in the US for the past sixteen years.

The Circana lists do not encompass the industry as a whole, as some publishers, developers, and the majority of indie developers do not share data with NPD. Some video games companies also do not share physical games sales and some digital storefront sales such as Steam and Battle.net. Companies that share data with NPD include: Bandai Namco Entertainment, Capcom, Disney Interactive, Embracer Group, Konami, Krafton, Marvelous, NCSoft, Sega, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Square Enix, Take-Two Interactive, Warner Bros. Games, and Wizard of the Coast.

Ubisoft has stopped sharing data with Circana in 2025. Electronic Arts, Microsoft and Nintendo does not share digital sales data with the NPD. Blizzard Entertainment does not share Battle.net sales, and other publishers may not share their data. As a result, some games are underrepresented.

1980–1997

YearTop-selling titleDeveloperPublisherPlatform(s)Sales1980Space InvadersTaitoAtariAtari VCS1,318,655 Via 19812,964,1371982Pac-ManNamco, AtariAtariAtari VCS7,271,844 1983Ms. Pac-ManGCC, MidwayAtariAtari VCS1,963,0781986Super Mario Bros.Nintendo R&D4NintendoNES1,000,000+1987The Legend of ZeldaNintendo R&D4NintendoNES2,000,0001988Super Mario Bros./Duck HuntNintendoNintendoNES2,000,000+1989Unknown1990Super Mario Bros. 3Nintendo R&D4NintendoNES8,000,0001991Sonic the HedgehogSonic TeamSegaGenesis1,000,000+1992Sonic the Hedgehog 2SegaSegaGenesis2,000,0001993Mortal KombatMidwayAcclaimMulti-platform1,627,8001994Donkey Kong CountryRare NintendoSNES2,057,00619951,000,000+1996Super Mario 64Nintendo EADNintendoN642,000,000+1997Mario Kart 64Nintendo EADNintendoN641,500,000+ 1990–2017 The following titles are the top ten best-selling video games of all time in the United States up until 2017, according to sales figures from The NPD Group. The list covers console games and PC games, but does not include console pack-in game bundles, arcade video games, mobile games or free-to-play titles. Among the top ten titles, six were developed or published by Japanese company Nintendo, two published by American company Activision, and two from British developer Rockstar North and American publisher Rockstar Games. TitleYearDeveloperPublisherPlatform(s)Sales1Grand Theft Auto V2013Rockstar NorthRockstar GamesMulti-platform2Pokémon Red / Blue / Yellow / Green1998Game FreakNintendoGB, GBA19,370,0003Wii Fit / Plus2008Nintendo EADNintendoWii15,500,0004Call of Duty: Black Ops2010TreyarchActivisionMulti-platform14,983,4595Pokémon Gold / Silver / Crystal2000Game FreakNintendoGBC, DS13,293,8896Wii Play2006Nintendo EADNintendoWii13,060,0007Mario Kart Wii2008Nintendo EADNintendoWii11,300,0008Super Mario Bros. 31990Nintendo R&D4NintendoNES, GBA10,880,0009Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock2007NeversoftActivisionMulti-platform10,200,00010Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas2004Rockstar NorthRockstar GamesPS2, Xbox9,800,000

1998–2009

1998 The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time was the best-selling game of 1998. +RankTitleDeveloperPublisher1.The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeNintendo EADNintendo2.GoldenEye 007Rare3.WWF WarzoneIguana West, Probe EntertainmentAcclaim Entertainment4.NFL Blitz '99Midway GamesMidway Games5.WCW/NWO RevengeAsmik Ace Entertainment, AKI CorporationTHQ6.Resident Evil 2CapcomCapcom7.Banjo-KazooieRareNintendo8.Gran TurismoJapan StudioSony Computer Entertainment9.Madden NFL 99EA TiburonElectronic Arts10.Super Mario 64Nintendo EADNintendo

1999 Donkey Kong 64 was the best-selling game of 1999. Seven of the 10 best-selling games in the US in 1998 were published by Nintendo. RankTitleDeveloperPublisher1.Donkey Kong 64RareNintendo2.Pokémon Red/Blue Game Freak3.Pokémon SnapHAL Laboratory4.Super Smash Bros.5.WWF AttitudeAcclaim Studios Salt Lake CityAcclaim Entertainment6.Pokémon PinballJupiter, HAL LaboratoryNintendo7.The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeNintendo EAD8.Mario PartyHudson Soft9.DriverReflections InteractiveGT Interactive10Final Fantasy VIIISquareSquare Electronic Arts

2000 Pokémon Gold/Silver was the best-selling game of 2000. RankTitleDeveloperPublisher1.Pokémon Gold/SilverGame FreakNintendo2.Pokémon StadiumNintendo EAD3.Tony Hawk's Pro SkaterNeversoftActivision4.Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 25.The Legend of Zelda: Majora's MaskNintendo EADNintendo6.Madden NFL 2001EA TiburonElectronic Arts7.The SimsMaxis8.Diablo IIBlizzard NorthBlizzard Entertainment9.Pokémon YellowGame FreakNintendo10Perfect DarkRareRare

2001 Madden NFL 2002 was the best-selling game of 2001. RankTitleDeveloperPublisher1.Madden NFL 2002EA TiburonElectronic Arts2.Grand Theft Auto IIIDMA DesignRockstar Games3.Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2NeversoftActivision4.Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 35.Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneArgonaut GamesElectronic Arts6.Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LibertyKonami Computer Entertainment JapanKonami7.Gran Turismo 3: A-SpecPolyphony DigitalSony Computer Entertainment8.The SimsMaxisElectronic Arts9.Pokémon Gold/SilverGame FreakNintendo10Pokémon Stadium 2Nintendo EAD

2002 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was the best-selling game of 2002. Five of the 10 best-selling games in the US in 2002 were published by Electronic Arts. RankTitleDeveloperPublisher1.Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityRockstar NorthRockstar Games2.Madden NFL 2003EA Tiburon, Budcat CreationsElectronic Arts3.Grand Theft Auto IIIDMA DesignRockstar Games4.Spider-ManTreyarchActivision5.Medal of Honor: FrontlineEA Los AngelesElectronic Arts6.Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsEA UK7.Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4NeversoftActivision8.Kingdom HeartsSquareSquare Electronic Arts9.NCAA Football 2003EA TiburonElectronic Arts10.The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersStormfront Studios

2003 Madden NFL 2004 was the best-selling game of 2003. RankTitleDeveloperPublisher1.Madden NFL 2004EA TiburonElectronic Arts2.Need for Speed: UndergroundEA Black Box3.Pokémon Ruby/SapphireGame FreakNintendo4.Enter the MatrixShiny EntertainmentInfogrames5.Tony Hawk's UndergroundNeversoftActivision6.The SimsMaxisElectronic Arts7.True Crime: Streets of LALuxofluxActivision8.Medal of Honor: Rising SunEA Los AngelesElectronic Arts9.NCAA Football 2004EA Tiburon10The Legend of Zelda: The Wind WakerNintendo EADNintendo

2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was the best-selling game of 2004. RankTitleDeveloperPublisher1.Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasRockstar NorthRockstar Games2.Halo 2BungieMicrosoft Game Studios3.Madden NFL 2005EA TiburonElectronic Arts4.Need for Speed: Underground 2EA Black Box5.Spider-Man 2 TreyarchActivision6.Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreenGame FreakNintendo7.NCAA Football 2005EA TiburonElectronic Arts8.Star Wars: Battlefront Pandemic StudiosLucasArts9.NBA Live 2005EA CanadaElectronic Arts10MVP Baseball 2004

2005 Madden NFL 06 was the best-selling game of 2005. RankTitleDeveloperPublisher1.Madden NFL 06EA TiburonElectronic Arts2.Star Wars: Battlefront II Pandemic StudiosLucasArts3.Call of Duty 2Infinity WardActivision4.Need for Speed: Most WantedEA Canada, EA Black BoxElectronic Arts5.Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the SithThe Collective, LucasArtsLucasArts6.NCAA Football 06EA TiburonElectronic Arts7.Gran Turismo 4Polyphony Digital Sony Computer Entertainment8.Grand Theft Auto: San AndreasRockstar NorthRockstar Games9.NBA Live 06EA CanadaElectronic Arts10LEGO Star WarsTraveller's TalesEidos Interactive

2006 Madden NFL 07 was the best-selling game of 2006. RankTitleDeveloperPublisher1.Madden NFL 07EA TiburonElectronic Arts2.Gears of WarEpic GamesMicrosoft Game Studios3.The Elder Scrolls IV: OblivionBethesda Game StudiosBethesda Softworks4.NCAA Football 07EA TiburonElectronic Arts5.Guitar Hero IIHarmonixActivision6.Lego Star Wars II: The Original TrilogyTraveller's TalesLucasArts7.Call of Duty 3TreyarchActivision8.Need for Speed: CarbonEA Black BoxElectronic Arts9.Kingdom Hearts IISquare Enix PDD1Square Enix10Fight Night Round 3EA ChicagoElectronic Arts

2007 Halo 3 was the best-selling game of 2007. RankTitleDeveloperPublisherSales1.Halo 3BungieMicrosoft Game Studios4,820,0002.Wii PlayNintendo EADNintendo4,120,0003.Call of Duty 4: Modern WarfareInfinity WardActivision3,040,0004.Guitar Hero III: Legends of RockNeversoft2,720,0005.Super Mario GalaxyNintendo EADNintendo2,520,0006.Pokémon Diamond/PearlGame Freak2,480,0007.Madden NFL 08EA TiburonElectronic Arts1,900,0008.Guitar Hero IIHarmonixActivision1,890,0009.Assassin's CreedUbisoft MontrealUbisoft1,870,00010.Mario Party 8Nintendo EADNintendo1,820,000

2008 Wii Play was the best-selling game of 2008. RankTitleDeveloperPublisherSales1.Wii PlayNintendo EADNintendo5,280,0002.Grand Theft Auto IVRockstar NorthTake-Two Interactive5,180,0003.Mario Kart WiiNintendo EADNintendo5,000,0004.Wii Fit4,530,0005.Super Smash Bros. BrawlSora Ltd, Game Arts4,170,0006.Call of Duty: World at WarTreyarchActivision Blizzard2,750,0007.Gears of War 2Epic GamesXbox Game Studios2,310,0008.Madden NFL 09EA TiburonElectronic Arts1,870,0009.Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the PatriotsKojima ProductionsKonami1,850,00010.Mario Kart DSNintendo EADNintendo1,650,000

2009 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 was the best-selling game of 2009. RankTitleDeveloperPublisherSales1.Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2Infinity WardActivision Blizzard2.Wii Sports ResortNintendo EADNintendo4,220,000+3.New Super Mario Bros. Wii4.Wii Fit3,500,000+5.Wii Fit Plus3,136,100+6.Mario Kart Wii7.Wii Play8.Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2Infinity WardActivision Blizzard9.Halo 3: ODSTBungieMicrosoft Game Studios2,000,000+10.Pokémon PlatinumGame FreakNintendo1,900,000+

2010–2019

2010 Call of Duty: Black Ops was the best-selling game of 2010. RankTitleDeveloperPublisher1.Call of Duty: Black OpsTreyarchActivision Blizzard2.Madden NFL 11EA TiburonElectronic Arts3.Halo: ReachBungieMicrosoft Game Studios4.New Super Mario Bros. WiiNintendo EADNintendo5.Red Dead RedemptionRockstar San DiegoTake-Two Interactive6.Wii Fit PlusNintendo EADNintendo7.Just Dance 2Ubisoft Paris, Ubisoft MilanUbisoft8.Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2Infinity WardActivision Blizzard9.Assassin's Creed: BrotherhoodUbisoft MontrealUbisoft10.NBA 2K11Visual ConceptsTake-Two Interactive

2011 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 was the best-selling game of 2011, followed by The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Madden NFL 12.