It isn’t easy to create a hit sports video game. Many have tried but few have actually succeeded in building sports game franchises that keeps players coming back for more. The best sports video game franchises aren’t overnight successes. Rather, they are games that have created a strong fanbases and stood the test of time. Thanks to gaming evolutions and the continued changing of many sports leagues each year, the top sports franchises continue to sell millions of copies annually.
So, what are the five highest selling sports video game franchises of all-time? You may be shocked by the results.
FIFA Soccer
EA Sports’ FIFA Soccer video game franchise is the highest selling of all-time. The franchise has sold over 150 million copies since it debuted in 1993. Fans flock to video game stores each September to pick up the latest copy of FIFA thanks to its updated rosters, new stadiums, and new soccer kits. It is unlikely any sports game will knock it off of the No. 1 spot anytime soon. You can play off – or – online, as other gaming online platforms.
Madden Football
Not to be outdone, Madden Football is right behind its soccer counterpart in video game sales. The game has sold over 100 million copies which translates to more than $4 billion in sales. Madden debuted in 1988, five years before FIFA. However, the game didn’t become a cultural phenomenon until the 2000s. It coincided with the NFL’s highest public interest of all-time.
Pro Evolution Soccer
Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) debut in 2001 and used to ran the most attractive promo code. Some may know it better by the name Winning XI. Konami’s game has always played second fiddle to EA Sports’ FIFA. However, true hardcore gamers swear that PES offers better gameplay and a more realistic brand of soccer. Opponents of PES complain that the game’s inability to licenses some of the world’s biggest teams and leagues over the years has hurt its appeal. Regardless, over 100 million copies have been sold.
WWE 2K
Whether you think wrestling is more show than sport, it makes the list of highest selling sports video game franchises. WWE 2K has sold more than 60 million copies. Originally created by THQ in 2000, WWE 2K is currently made by Yuke’s. Despite WWE 2K feeling the same from year to year due to a lack of ideas, wrestling fans have still bought the game in droves. It has helped that recent editions have brought back many legends of the 1990s.
NBA Live
NBA Live has seen better days. The video game franchise maybe the best-selling NBA basketball game of all-time, but the NBA 2K series is now the go-to basketball game. Despite its decline, NBA Live was the pinnacle of basketball games in the 1990s. Even in the early 2000s, NBA Live was still holding it down. Now, with more than 35 million copies sold, it could be surpassed by NBA 2K sooner rather than later. In 2018, Venture Beat claimed NBA 2K18 was the highest-selling sports game of 2017 moving 8.5 million copies. NBA 2K is now being considered the ‘new Madden’ as it is gamers’ go-to sports game.
