The most popular best selling games

Compiling a list of the best-selling PC games of all time is no simple task. The reason? The video game market has evolved significantly over the past few decades. A game that sold 100,000 copies 30 years ago might have been considered a best-seller at the time, but the same sales figure today wouldn’t carry the same weight. Here’s an (unordered) list of the best-selling games, based on Wikipedia.

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Theme Park

DOS1994protected Bullfrog

Command & Conquer: Red Alert

DOS1996freeware Westwood Studios

Command & Conquer: Red Alert is a real-time strategy (RTS) video game developed by Westwood Studios and published by Virgin Interactive in 1996. It is part of the Command & Conquer series and is set in an alternate history...

Zoo Tycoon

Windows XP/98/952001 Blue Fang Games

Ever dreamed of running your own zoo without needing a shovel for elephant poop? Zoo Tycoon lets you do exactly that. Build the ultimate animal empire - until the lions escape, the penguins riot, and your guests storm out because ...

Robocop

DOS1989 Data East

Robocop is an abandoned beat 'em up / run and gun shooter game developed and released by Data East in 1989 for a number of platforms, including DOS. Robocop is a conversion from an arcade game released by Data East in 1988 an...

Railroad Tycoon 2

Windows XP/98/95LinuxMac OS1998 Pop Software

Railroad Tycoon 2 is an abandoned train simulation game designed by Phil Steinmeyer, developed by Pop Software and released by Gathering of Developers for Windows, Linux and Mac in 1998. As the title suggests, Railroad Tycoon 2 is...

Civilization 2

Windows XP/98/951996 MicroProse Software

Civilization II is a turn-based strategy game developed by MicroProse and released in 1996. It's the second installment in the "Civilization" series, created by Sid Meier. The game builds upon the concept of its predecessor, Civil...

Grand Prix 2

DOS1995 MicroProse Software

Grand Prix 2 is an abandoned Formula 1 racing game designed by Geoff Crammond and published by MicroProse Software in 1995 for DOS. Grand Prix 2 is the sequel to Formula One Grand Prix and was a one-man project (which was uncommon...

Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings

Windows XP/98/951999protecteddemo Ensemble Studios

Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings is a landmark real-time strategy (RTS) game developed by Ensemble Studios and published by Microsoft. Released in 1999, it is the second installment in the Age of Empires series and remains one ...

Pac-Man

DOS1983 Namco

Pac-Man is a classic arcade game created by Namco and first released in Japan on May 22, 1980. It was later released in North America by Midway Games. The game was designed by Toru Iwatani and has become one of the most famous and...

The Sims

Windows XP/98/952000 Maxis

The Sims, released in 2000, marked the beginning of the iconic life simulation series. Developed by Maxis and designed by Will Wright, the game quickly became a cultural phenomenon and a best-selling title.In The Sims, players cre...

Age of Empires

Windows XP/98/951997protecteddemo Ensemble Studios

Released in 1997, Age of Empires is what happens when ancient history gets drunk and decides to party. You start in the Stone Age, bashing wild boars and clubbing trees, and before you know it, you’re building temples and fl...

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Windows XP/98/95Mac OS2002protected Rockstar Games

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is an open-world action-adventure game developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games in 2002. It's the fourth main entry in the GTA series and serves as a spiritual successor to Grand Thef...

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Windows XP/98/952001 KnowWonder

Caesar 2

DOS1995 Impressions Games

Bigger, bolder, and with more statues of yourself than ever, Caesar 2 builds on its predecessor like Rome after a good tax season. Now you get to manage both cities and provinces, making sure barbarians don’t redecorate your...

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Windows XP/98/952002protected Bethesda Softworks

The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind is a critically acclaimed open-world action role-playing video game developed by Bethesda Game Studios. It was released in 2002 and is the third installment in the Elder Scrolls series. The game is...

Populous

DOS1989 Bullfrog

Populous is an abandoned strategy game designed by the video game celebrity Peter Molyneux, developed by Bullfrog. Populous was released by Electronic Arts in 1989 for DOS and for a long list of other 16-bit and 8-bit systems, bot...

Warcraft 2: Tides of Darkness

DOS1995protected Blizzard Entertainment

Diablo

Windows XP/98/951996protecteddemo Blizzard Entertainment

In 1996, Diablo descended onto PCs and basically defined the “click until everything dies” genre. The gothic town of Tristram sits atop a dungeon stuffed with demons, loot, and an alarming number of barrels. You pick a...

Doom

DOS1993protecteddemo id software

Doom was released by id Software in 1993. It is widely regarded as one of the most influential and groundbreaking video games of all time, particularly within the first-person shooter (FPS) genre.Set in the future on the moons of ...

Caesar 3

Windows XP/98/95Mac OS1998protected Impressions Games

Polished to a shine worthy of a senator’s sandals, Caesar 3 finally gets it right. Gorgeous 2D visuals, elegant gameplay, and voiceovers that say “No more workers!” like they’re scolding your ancestors. You...

Command & Conquer

DOS1995freeware Westwood Studios

The original Command & Conquer (1995, DOS) is the game that launched a thousand LAN parties. It’s gritty, fast-paced RTS warfare with full-motion video cutscenes so cheesy, they’ve aged into gourmet. You build, har...

Phantasmagoria

Windows XP/98/95DOSMac OS1995protecteddemo Sierra On-Line

Phantasmagoria is a point-and-click horror adventure game developed and published by Sierra On-Line, released in 1995. Directed by Roberta Williams, Phantasmagoria departed from Sierra's usual fantasy and comedic themes to explore...

Duke Nukem 3D

DOS1996protecteddemo 3d Realms

Duke Nukem 3D is a classic first-person shooter that was developed by 3D Realms (formerly known as Apogee Software) and published by GT Interactive. It was released in 1996 for MS-DOS and later for various other platforms, includi...

SimCity 3000

Windows XP/98/951999protected Maxis

SimCity 3000 is a city-building simulation game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. It was released in 1999 as the third major installment in the SimCity series, following SimCity 2000.In SimCity 3000, players tak...

Baldur's Gate

Windows XP/98/95LinuxMac OS1998protected BioWare

Baldur's Gate a fantasy RPG set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe which is regarded as the RPG that brought new life in a dying genre in the late 90s. Baldur's Gate was developed by BioWare and released by Black Isle Stu...

Doom 2: Hell on Earth

DOSWindows XP/98/951994protected id software

Doom 2 is the sequel to the much acclaimed FPS Doom. Doom 2: Hell on Earth is a horror sci-fi first-person shooter created by id Software, (John Carmack, Sandy Petersen, John Romero) set on a hellish Earth invaded by demons. The p...

StarCraft

Windows XP/98/95Mac OS1998protecteddemo Blizzard Entertainment

StarCraft is a classic RTS (Real-Time Strategy) game developed by Blizzard Entertainment and released in 1998 for Windows and Macintosh. StarCraft takes the Warcraft experience to a sci-fi setting with an interesting story, three ...

Baldur's Gate 2: Shadows of Amn

Windows XP/98/95Mac OS2000protected BioWare

If Baldur’s Gate was a sprawling epic, Shadows of Amn is the Shakespearean sequel with better everything: graphics, writing, drama. Your soul is stolen (again), your allies are weirder, and your enemies wear more eyeliner. T...