In this article, we discuss the 25 most addictive video games in the world. To skip the detailed analysis of the video game industry, you can go directly to the 5 Most Addictive Video Games in the World.
Addictions are usually considered unhealthy and a waste of time and money. It was believed to be true for video games for a while too, but times have changed. Video games have become a great source of income for developers as well as players. For example, in the online multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, Dota 2 players make hundreds to millions of dollars through streaming platforms as well as e-sports tournaments. The game’s currently ongoing tournament, Riyadh Masters (ending June 30) has a prize pool of $15 million while the annual biggest tournament of Dota 2 known as “The International” was able to gather a prize pool of over $40 million in 2021. On top of that, Riyadh Masters’ organizer, Gamers8 has announced their next 2023 event called The Land of Heroes, which is expected to have a prize pool of $45 million, making it the biggest prize pool in the history of e-sports.
The first ever video game was called Tennis for Two and was launched in 1958 by Physicist William Higinbotham. The game was played through an oscilloscope. The idea was revolutionary at the time and was loved by the people at the Brookhaven National Laboratory open house. However, the first commercial game was launched in 1971 and it sold around 1000 - 1500 units. Today, video games remain to be the most profitable industry in the entertainment sector and its market size is estimated to be $245.10 billion in 2023, according to our previous report. Furthermore, the industry is expected to reach $376.08 billion by 2028, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.94% between 2023 and 2028. PC gamers take the lead with respect to the number of users around the globe. In 2022, there were 1.1 billion active PC gamers compared to 611 million console users.
The Rulers of the Industry
Although there are tons of companies in the video gaming industry, there are a few names that stand out the most. The top dogs of the industry include Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY), and Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI). Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) are technology conglomerates but have significant market share in the video gaming industry, especially with their consoles Play Station and Xbox, respectively.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) covers 60% to 70% of the cloud gaming market which has led to monopolization concerns by authorities. The company announced the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) in February 2022 for $69 billion or $95 per share. However, the deal was blocked by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the United Kingdom’s anti-trust authority. The FTC filed a Motion to withdraw the case on July 18, after losing the battle twice in front of the in-house judge. Both companies are still waiting on passing the hurdle created by UK's antitrust authority which has now paused the the suit and is working on a settlement with the companies. The termination date for Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) deal was supposed to be July 18, 2023, but the companies have extended the termination date which was mentioned in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s fourth quarter 2023 earnings call on July 25. The company also announced its plans related to its gaming sector on the same day. The Chief Executive Officer of the company, Satya Nadella, said:
“Last week, we extended our Activision Blizzard merger agreement deadline to October. We continue to work through the regulatory approval process and remain confident about getting the deal done. We are committed to bringing more games to more players everywhere. Great content is key to our approach, and our pipeline has never been stronger. We announced our most ambitious lineup of games ever at our showcase last month, including 21 titles that will be available via Xbox Game Pass. And we're looking forward to the release of Starfield this fall, Bethesda's first new universe in 25 years.”
Benchmark analyst Mike Hickey believes that the success of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) deal could potentially open doors for further acquisitions of companies like Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ:TTWO), Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA), Roblox (NYSE:RBLX), and Ubisoft (OTC:UBSFY). The analyst said:
“We believe that MSFT’s successful acquisition of ATVI could provide a catalyst for further industry consolidation in the video game industry."
He further added that the potential buyers may include Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Tencent (OTC:TCEHY), Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG), Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX), and Sony Group Corporation (NYSE:SONY).
Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) and Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) also have a significant hold in the video gaming industry. Both of the companies own highly successful and addictive video game franchises. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) is the developer of Need for Speed, The Sims, and Battlefield series. Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) owns one of the highest-grossing video game franchises of all time, the Grand Theft Auto franchise. It is important to note that Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO) is currently registering a loss with a trailing twelve-month loss per share of $7.07, but the company is expected to change that soon. The company has announced the launch of the sixth latest installment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise which is expected to release between April 2024 and March 2025. Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be a game-changer for Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO), considering the success of its last installment, GTA V, which sold over 180 million copies to date. It was launched in 2013 and the GTA fans have been eagerly waiting for its next installment which could open up a huge revenue stream for the company.
Apart from the companies we have already mentioned, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) are also some of the best video games listed on the stock market. To check the extended list, you can visit the 12 Best Video Game Stocks to Buy Now.
25 Most Addictive Video Games in the World
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Our Methodology
For this article, we compiled this list with the help of nine sources, including Ranker, IGN, and Games Radar, along with others. We calculated the number of times each video game is listed in these sources and calculated the aggregate position of each of these video games according to their position in each of the sources.
25 Most Addictive Video Games in the World
25. Final Fantasy XIV and VII: Remake
Final Fantasy is a Japanese media franchise. The game is a sci-fi role-playing game available on almost every gaming platform. The entire series has been favored by gamers, except for a few installments like Final Fantasy XIII and IV: The After Years. Nevertheless, Final Fantasy XIV and VII: Remake have been treasured by gamers around the world due to their compelling storylines.
24. StarCraft
StarCraft is a military sci-fi strategy game. The first installment of the game takes place in the year 2499. It has been developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI). The StarCraft franchise crossed the $1 billion sales mark in 2017.
23. Street Fighter Series
Street Fighter is a Japanese media franchise published by Capcom. The video game series has sold over 50 million units and is one of the highest-grossing fighting game media franchises. In 2021, Street Fighter NFTs also became highly popular and amassed $3 million in 24 hours. It is our 23rd most addictive video game in the world.
22. Mario Cart
Mario Cart is a franchise of go-cart racing that includes characters from Nintendo games. It is one of the most addictive video games in the world and might also be one of the highest rage-prone games as well. The game involves characters racing each other, collecting power-ups, and creating hurdles in front of their opponents to win the race.
Mario Cart’s first installment launched in 1992 and has sold over 8.76 million copies to date. The franchise in total has sold more than 170 million copies with Mario Cart 8 taking the lead, selling over 60 million copies sold to date. Mario Cart 8’s first version was released in 2014 for WiiU which sold approximately 8.5 million units, and Mario Cart 8 Deluxe was launched in 2017 for Nintendo Switch, selling approximately 52 million units.
21. Counter-Strike Series
Counter-Strike is a multiplayer first-person shooter game series currently being published by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT). Its last series, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, better known as CS:GO was released in 2012 and is still being played by over a million players every month. The game’s tournaments also garner a lot of viewers on online streaming platforms such as Twitch.
20. Dota 2
Dota is a sequel to the Defense of the Ancients mod released on Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI)’s game, Warcraft III in 2003. The game mod quickly gained popularity among multiplayer gamers. In 2009, its lead creator (pseudonym: IceFrog) was hired by Valve to design a modern version of the game.
19. PUBG: Battlegrounds
PUBG: Battlegrounds, formerly known as PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, was released in 2017 and quickly took the world by storm. It can be played through either first-person or third-person perspective. PUBG: Battlegrounds is a battle royale game that is played between hundreds of players where they have a fight off till the last man is left standing. It was initially released by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) for Xbox but is now also available for IOS, Android, Windows, and PlayStation platforms. The game’s mobile platform publisher is Tencent Games. It was also available on Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)’s Stadia, which went permanently offline in January 2023.
18. Tetris
Tetris is a world-renowned puzzle game created in 1984. It is available on almost every gaming platform and has sold over 520 million units. However, it is estimated that over a billion people have played the game, making it one of the most addictive video games in the world.
17. Diablo Series
Diablo franchise is a role-playing game revolving around a dungeon crawler scenario. The characters in the games include humans, angels, and demons along with other figures existing in the celestial realm. Its first installment was released in 1997 and its fourth and latest installment was released on June 5, 2023, and has received universal acclaim for its Xbox version by Metacritic. Some critics are calling it the most important game by Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI) since its release of World of Warcraft.
16. Pac-Man
The Pac-Man franchise is one of the most popular game franchises among people of all ages. Its first installment was released in May 1980 on an arcade/coin-op system. The game still has regular releases after 42 years and is one of the highest-grossing games of all time.
15. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
The Witcher series is based on The Witcher book series written by Andrzej Sapkowski. Even though the whole franchise is loved by gamers across the world, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt takes over all other games of the franchise when it comes to being addictive. It is also considered to be one of the greatest action role-playing games of all time by several media platforms. Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX)’s show, The Witcher is also partly based on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt.
14. Need for Speed Series
The Need for Speed franchise is another name on our list of the most addictive video games in the world created by Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA). In the beginning, the game series revolved around cars racing on different courses. Over the years, newly developed games are about illegal street racing. Its twenty-fifth installment was released in December 2022 by the name of Need for Speed Unbound.
13. Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros is one of the most popular Nintendo releases of all time. It was released in 1985, succeeding Mario Bros. The game follows the adventure of Mario and Luigi to save Princess Peach Toadstool from Bowser and his minions. Super Mario Bros. animated movie was released in 2023. As of June 30, the movie has smashed several box office records netting close to $1.35 billion worldwide on a $100 million budget.
12. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
The Legend of Zelda was first released in 1986 by Nintendo and is one of its most successful franchises. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is an action-adventure game that was originally released in 1998 for Nintendo 64. Due to its commercial success, the game’s remastered version was released in 2011 for Nintendo 3DS handheld game console. The original version sold more than 7 million copies globally and was the most-played game of its time.
11. Mortal Kombat Series
The first edition was created by Midway Games in 1992 which was later acquired by Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD)’s subsidiary, Warner Bros. Entertainment, and was renamed NetherRealm Studios. The Mortal Combat franchise has inspired games, TV series, films, and card games along with other multimedia sources. With 80 million units sold, the Mortal Combat series is one of the best-selling fighting game franchises of all time and 11th on our list of most addictive video games in the world.
10. Assassin's Creed II
Assassin’s Creed was first released in 2007 by Ubisoft Entertainment SA (OTC:UBSFY). It is a franchise of action/adventure open-world games. Its first installment revolved around the life of a fictional member of the Nizari Ismaili Order of Assassins. Assassin’s Creed II received a score of 91 for the PlayStation 3 version of the game, making it the highest-rated Assassin’s Creed game according to Metacritic.
Assassin’s Creed II is also popular among gamers as it has one of the most interesting storylines in the whole franchise, following the story of a fictional member of a wealthy Florentine family. The game also introduces some famous historical characters such as Leonardo da Vinci, Lorenzo de Medici, and Niccolò Machiavelli along with a few others.
9. Fallout 3 and 4
The Fall Out series takes players on a post-apocalyptic adventure and since 2004, it is being published by one of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)’s subsidiaries, Bethesda Softworks LLC. The Fall Out franchise has been quite popular among gamers. However, only the third and fourth title of the game has made it to our list of most addictive video games of all time.
8. The Sims Series
The first game of The Sims series was launched in February 2000. It is a sandbox life simulation game published by Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA). Its creator, Will Wright considers the game a satire of the US consumer culture. By 2019, its latest title, The Sims 4’s earnings surpassed $1 billion and is estimated to provide close to $500 million in annual profits for Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA).
7. Call of Duty Series
The Call of Duty Series is one of the most online and offline played games published by Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI). Its first installment was released in 2003. Call of Duty is a series of first-person shooter games based on World War II, modern warfare, and the black ops along with some standalone versions such as Call of Duty: Ghosts. The Call of Duty franchise has sold over 425 million copies and Call of Duty: Black Ops has been its top-selling game.
6. Grand Theft Auto Series
Grand Theft Auto is the prized jewel of Rockstar Games, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ:TTWO). The game series has sold over 370 million units and out of those, 175 million units are accounted by Grand Theft Auto V. Grand Theft Auto V is the 8th best PC game of all time according to our research.
