Discover the most profitable games in the history of the gaming industry, from Grand Theft Auto V to Fortnite and more.

8 Most Profitable Games in the History of the Gaming Industry.

The gaming industry is a very profitable business. An average AAA project can easily bring a company several hundred million dollars in revenue. But that’s not the limit. We’ll tell you about ten games that turned out to be fabulous commercial successes.

Minecraft

The children’s sandbox about a world made of cubes did not look like what most gamers, superficially familiar with the game, thought. Behind the simple visual style was a deep gameplay with a huge number of crafting mechanics – from boards, sticks and tools to teleports to another dimension, cauldrons for brewing potions and even full-fledged subways on minecarts.

Since its release in 2010, Minecraft has become one of the most profitable games in history. As of 2024, its total revenue exceeds $3 billion from game sales alone, not including revenue from in-game transactions and other sources like the Minecraft Marketplace.

For example, in 2020 alone, the game brought in $415 million, and in 2018, Mojang earned $500 million from the game. These figures confirm the title’s enduring popularity and financial success, which continues to generate interest to this day.

Grand Theft Auto V

Released in 2013, GTA V has become one of the most successful games in the history of the gaming industry. The Rockstar Games project gained popularity thanks to its well-developed open world, incredible interactivity for its time, and the developers’ signature humor, not shying away from satire.

Originally created for last-gen consoles, it has received updates for new platforms, which has helped it stay relevant. As of 2023, GTA V has generated over $8 billion in sales, thanks to over 185 million copies sold and the successful monetization of GTA Online.

Fortnite

One of the main examples of a smart financial model and one of the key sources of income for Epic Games. Fortnite’s success is due to its free distribution model with active use of in-game purchases, including skins, battle passes and cosmetic improvements.

By 2023, Fortnite’s revenues were set to exceed $20 billion. The game’s success is due to regular updates, partnerships (such as with Marvel and DC), and virtual events such as concerts and tournaments.

PUBG

First released in 2017, the game instantly became a worldwide hit. The concept is simple and has become basic: 100 players land on a huge island where they must collect weapons, resources and fight for survival while the safe zone gradually shrinks. The last one standing wins.

PUBG has had a huge impact on the video game industry, becoming one of the pioneers of the battle royale genre. The game is available on various platforms, including PC, consoles, and mobile devices, which has allowed it to gain millions of fans around the world.

World of Warcraft

Developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, World of Warcraft has become one of the most famous massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs). And the most enduring. In November 2024, the project turned 20 years old.

The project was launched in 2004 and quickly gained popularity due to its huge open world of Azeroth. Players were offered to choose a race and class, complete quests, go to dungeons and raids, and also fight each other in the PvP format.

The popularity of  World of Warcraft is also supported by regular updates, major additions and the release of “old”, classic servers with previously released additions.

League of Legends

Since its launch,  League of Legends has shown impressive financial results. According to analytics agency SuperData, the game brought in $2.1 billion in revenue in 2017 and $1.4 billion in 2018.

In 2020, revenue was $1.75 billion. In addition, the mobile version of the game has generated more than $1 billion in revenue since its release in October 2020.

Pokemon GO

Pokemon GO is a popular mobile game with augmented reality (AR) elements developed by Niantic and released in 2016. Since its launch, the project has regularly received updates introducing new Pokemon, game modes, and seasonal events.

The game has achieved incredible commercial success, earning over $6 billion as of 2024. This figure makes Pokemon GO one of the most profitable mobile games. The project also contributed to the development of augmented reality technologies and changed the approach to creating games that combine the virtual world with the real one.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

The game quickly gained popularity due to its balanced gameplay, regular updates, and active eSports community. Since its release, CS:GO  has brought Valve huge revenues.

According to the analytics service Gamalytic, the game’s sales reached $6.7 billion, which is a record for projects distributed through the Steam platform. In addition, in 2023, players opened about 400 million cases, which brought Valve an additional profit of $980 million.

Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone is a free-to-play battle royale game developed by Infinity Ward and Raven Software. The game features battles for up to 150 players on vast maps, combining elements of survival and battle royale.

Warzone quickly gained notoriety thanks to its integration with the main Call of Duty series. Since its launch, the shooter has generated a significant share of revenue for Activision. The game is estimated to have generated around $1.9 billion annually in 2020 and 2021.

Lineage II

The original Lineage, released in 1998, and its sequel Lineage II (2003) have achieved significant financial success. As of 2017, Lineage II has generated nearly $2 billion since its launch.

The mobile versions of the series have also shown impressive results. Lineage M, released in 2017, earned $4.2 billion, Lineage 2M – $1.7 billion, and Lineage W – $1.06 billion. In 2023, Lineage W entered the list of mobile games whose revenue exceeded $1 billion.