Top-selling games today compared to 20 years ago

Today’s most popular and best-selling games often include expensive first-party exclusives, popular multiplayer games, and outdated titles such as grand theft auto 5 Remains available for several years after launch. But new sales figures show that wasn’t the case 20 years ago.

On Wednesday, Circana executive director and video game industry consultant Mat Piscatella posted an image on Twitter Showing the best-selling video games for July 2014 and July 2004. The data from 10 years ago is interesting, especially since a lot of games like Mario Kart 8, Minecraft, and grand theft auto 5 What was a bestseller at that time is still on the bestseller list in 2024.

Top 20 Premium Software Products of July 2014

1. the last of us
2. FIFA 14
3. watch dogs
4. Mario Kart 8
5. my world
6. Grand Theft Auto V
7. Call of Duty: Ghost
8. Sniper Elite 3
9. ultimate fighting championship
10. NBA 2K14
11. battlefield 4
12. Wolfenstein: The New Order
13. Titanfall
14. The Lego Movie Video Game
15. Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag
16. PokemonX/Y
17. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
18. The unjust god among us
19. 2014 brazil world cup
20. MLB 14: The Show

But what we really focus on is the July 2004 data, because it provides a 20-year time capsule of the video game industry and how it differs from 20 years ago. Here is the list:

Top 20 quality software of July 2004

1. 2005 NCAA Football Game
2. spider man 2
3. NFL 2K5
4. driver 3
5. symphony story
6. Shrek 2
7. 2004 Baseball MVP
8. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
9. Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
10. Pokémon: Ruby/Sapphire
11. Halo: Combat Evolved
12. Need for Speed: Underground
13. Mega Man: Anniversary Collection
14. red death revolver
15. Yu-Gi-Oh! Destroy and rebuild
16. fight night 2004
17. Mega Man: Battle Network 4
18. The Sims
19. 2004 Tiger Woods PGA Tour
20. The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords

The first thing that stands out is the game at the top. this is not a call of Duty,A Grand Theft Auto, or even a massive RPG or sci-fi action game. No. it is EA Sports 2005 NCAA Football. this is already a long time Since that happened, But EA’s recent college football game—the first in more than a decade—is exploding, Might finally top the list of best-selling games in July 2024.

at the same time, Shrek 2— a licensed action-adventure game based on the animated film — beat out games like Red Dead Revolver, Need for Speed: Underground, and Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow. I can’t remember the last time a movie tie-in game made the charts. Hey, look at that! Mega Man, Driver, and Yu-Gi-Oh! Enter the top 20, t00. It was indeed a different time then, right?

and compare this old list with Best-selling games in May 2024, it’s clear that while a lot has changed, some things have stayed the same. Baseball games sell well and people still like them Spider-Man sequel.

Best-selling games in May 2024

1. ghost of tsushima
2. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
3. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (2023)
4. Helldiver II
5. MLB: Show 24
6. sea ​​of ​​thieves
7. my world
8. ring of fire
9. Hogwarts Legacy
10. Star Blade
11. Fallout 4
12. EA Sports FC 24
13. Marvel Spider-Man 2
14. Home 3
15. Mario Kart 8
16. Madden NFL 24
17. Rise of the Ronin
18. F1 24
19. Mortal Kombat 1

1. Dragon’s Dogma II

.